


Persuassioned

by KeJae



Category: Chuck (TV), Persuasion - Jane Austen, White Collar
Genre: Gen, Major character changed to minor you never meet and killed., References to past murders and violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2020-04-06 11:28:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 44
Words: 100,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19061728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeJae/pseuds/KeJae
Summary: A mix of White Collar and Chuck with a twist of Persuasion. This story is full of mysteries, tried friendships, and a hint of romance before the truth of everything is revealed.





	1. Persona Non Grata

*******

Neal was sitting towards the side of the conference room at the far end of the table sketching on a scrap piece of paper. He was present for the meeting, but as it wasn't ready to start, he was instructed to take a seat anyway.

Around him, two teams of personnel buzzed to get copies of the case files distributed, the powerpoint ready to go, determined who was going to be accomplishing what, and all of the details pertaining to working a joint case. The FBI side of the operation was being led by Peter, while the insurance side was being directed by Sara.

Why was Neal drawing instead of helping? Because he was in the time-honored dog house so his assistance was unwanted. He was the prime suspect for the theft of the treasure, and everyone was reacting.

In the office, Peter was keeping an extra eye on Neal and his activities while working to investigate him behind his back.

Jones and Diana were assisting. Peter and Jones had done a Polygraph Lie Detector Test in the middle of the night to both catch Neal off guard, and to keep their investigation off of the books. Diana had been participating in a more minor role as Peter hadn't needed her assistance as much, yet. It was inevitable that they would need their combined manpower in order to unravel the mystery of the treasure before they came to any solid conclusion.

Although the general office had no idea why things were off, everyone knew something was up, so they followed Peter's lead and kept their distance.

Combining the reactions, Neal was receiving the cold shoulder from the office and hadn't seemed like a welcome member of the team in weeks.

The problem for him was that he didn't know why. One minute he had been happy Peter had come to his rescue and saved his life, and the next Peter was livid with fury while he accused him of stealing the treasure that had just blown up.

Neal wasn't an idiot. He knew he had been showered with bits and pieces of painted masterpieces combined with other debris from a wealth of lost history. It was sad really. So many people had been killed for those items, things really on the grand scale of life, and those same things were gone in an instant.

What bothered him the most though, was that Peter really thought he was heartless enough to steal a treasure gained by mass murder. Why would he want blood money so tainted as to have caused millions of people to have lost their lives? That wasn't even mentioning Kate's death, Mozzie's near death, and the dangers Peter, Alex, and Neal had been put through over it. Really, it was rather ludicrous to think he would want something like that.

Still, Peter was so adamant as to the reality of the theft and determined to prove him guilty of it, that there had to be something. Peter wasn't the type to get worked up over nothing, so there was evidence of some kind.

That led Neal to another problem. If there was evidence, what was it? Peter wouldn't tell him why he suspected him, only that he would have to wait until he had proven his guilt.

Apparently, Peter was also certain he would falsify evidence in his own favor to get away with committing such a large scale theft.

Sighing to himself, Neal was amazed by how little it could take to destroy a friendship and how lost he was to do anything about it.

In addition to all of the office issues, his personal romance hadn't managed to skip the flames unscathed.

Sara also believed in his guilt and actually thought he would sacrifice their relationship for some pretty trinkets and going back on the run again. Although there wasn't solid proof of it yet, she believed his greed was strong enough for him to betray his friends. So, she had ended their relationship.

"You live in the clouds… and I live on West 96th."

She had spoken to him like he was a lost cause like his head was in the clouds seeking the next rainbow leading to a pot of gold. It was as if he wasn't capable of living a normal life, of falling in love, or even understanding what it meant to sacrifice for a friend. Based on her tone, you would have thought he was a heartless criminal with no means of understanding anything beyond his greed and whatever it took to endeavor to satisfy it. Since greed is never satisfied, she spoke to him like he wasn't worth her investing in him for any more time than she had already wasted.

Then, as if those collapsing relationships weren't bad enough, there was still June and Mozzie who hadn't been covered.

June was still a gracious hostess and often welcomed Neal to join her for breakfast like she always had, but there was something different. She often shook her head sadly, like she didn't want to see him wasting his life on baubles when he had been on track for having a real life. It was like she was seeing her old friend Ford again. Neal was a criminal who was so intent on getting his 'last' score, that he missed out on having love, laughter, and friends to help him through life, the true treasures we are blessed with. Although she never directly said any of her feelings, she gave Neal enough extra hints and facial expressions that her message got across.

Even Mozzie was acting distrustful. He kept asking questions about what the treasure looked like and alluding to the possibility of Neal having stolen it for himself. It was like he felt insulted Neal had completed the theft of a lifetime behind his back and betrayed because he wasn't being included in the payout. After several rounds of 'alleged' conversations to discuss how Neal might have accomplished it and how they could spend it in purchasing an island getaway, Mozzie eventually gave in to Neal's greed.

"If you don't want to share, it's your choice. But I thought we were friends Neal, that you would include me in any major plans. I guess I was wrong."

The little guy had left in defeat and Neal hadn't seen anything of him since. He was still around, June was in contact with him and he suspected that Elizabeth still had her lunches with him, but Neal wasn't on his rounds anymore and he couldn't confirm his suspicions with Elizabeth. They hadn't talked since their double dinner date the night before everything fell apart.

Zoning out as his pen continued to move, Neal continued to draw his pictures within pictures. It was something like the Intersect in the way he was hiding his thoughts in plain sight, but within another image to hide them from scrutiny. He felt like an outsider with his friends, which was an unpleasant echo from the past, so he hid his feelings from them and continued to do his job.

"Neal." Peter barked when he was ready for Neal to be paying attention.

Focusing back on the world around him, Neal looked up and stopped drawing. "What?"

"Go get coffees. You know the usual orders for the office. Ask Sara's people what they want before you go too." He dismissed him.

"Coffees coming up." He complied as he laid his pen down. Obviously, they weren't going to actually invite him for whatever was being covered in his absence.

Walking down the stairs, Neal made a mental list of the coffee orders for the team. Making his way around the room as he went, he collected the requests from the visiting team before getting his things from his desk.

Striding along, he made his way to the elevator and began his descent to the lobby. It figured that no one was in the car. He shrugged to himself as he thought it didn't matter, they would have ignored him anyway.

Exiting the car in the lobby, he walked out of the building and onto the street outside. There he was nobody in a mass of nobodies. He was just another person in the swell of pedestrians going from one place to another and there was something freeing in that. No one was giving him dirty looks as they were simply passersby who continued on their way without affecting him at all. The anonymity was refreshing after the hostility.

Weaving his way through the throng with practiced ease, he worked his way to their favorite coffee shop just down the street.

Seeing there was a line, he settled in to while away the time and hoped the delay would give the team plenty of time to complete their tasks before he returned.

Observing the other patrons, he watched as people did simple things like chat with their friends, tended to their children, or were simply seeking refuge from a hectic day. There was nothing unusual to the crowds in front of him.

Turning to stand sideways, he moved for a different perspective.

Out on the street, a young woman was walking by in torn jeans, a jacket over her henley, and a white scarf hanging around her neck. What drew Neal's attention to her though was how she wore her hair. It was slightly long, most of it hung over her shoulder in a rough braid, but a large clump of it was hanging in front of her face to provide a brown shield for her to hide behind. She appeared to be homeless and hungry, but she didn't enter. Likely, she didn't have enough money to buy anything so there wasn't much point in coming in.

While Neal watched, she stood outside the door and asked if anyone would be so kind as to purchase a sandwich for her. She didn't ask for money, just a simple meal.

Unable to watch without doing something for her, Neal started planning.

When it was his turn in line, Neal gave the order for the team and himself first. Then after he had his intended purpose complete, he made an additional request. "Also, can I get a sandwich and a bottle of water as a separate order?" Paying his bills, he put the FBI order on his work card, but the other food he paid for in cash as it was a personal mission.

Gathering his purchases as they were finished, he piled the boxes on the table nearest the door and settled the bags beside them. Moving outside, he approached the girl.

"I have a sandwich and bottle of water, but I have one request for you." She looked nervous like she had heard such comments before. Waiving her concern aside, he continued before she could go any further in the wrong direction. "Nothing like that. My friend runs a shelter only a few blocks from here and I texted him to expect you if you would like to go there. He and his wife will provide any help or services you may need at no charge." Then he passed her a card with the place's location and information.

Feeling less threatened, she took the card and meal before wandering off in the direction of the shelter.

Hoping she would take his friend up on the services he provided, Neal returned to reclaim his purchases. Sliding the bags of food up his arm, he lifted the boxes of drinks and carefully balanced them between his hands.

Taking the trip back to the office at a slower pace, he worked to avoid the foot traffic and retain his grip on the stack of drinks. It wouldn't do to spill any of them, and the other people were focused on their destinations so he had to be observant.

When he arrived back at the building, he rode up the elevator alone again and made his way back into the office.

"What took you so long?" Peter asked as he came down for his coffee and food. The meeting had obviously ended so the office was looking for their refreshments.

"There was a line," Neal answered honestly. He wasn't going to lie about why he had taken so long, but he also wasn't going to divulge any details as to his extra task. It wasn't work-related, or anything of the team's business. Besides, they probably wouldn't believe he would do a random act of kindness anyway, they were all certain he was too greedy for any such behavior.

Feeling a vibration in his pocket, he stepped back from the rush of personnel collecting their food orders and coffee that wasn't the office mud.

Reading the text, he smiled to himself as the message said the girl had taken him up on his offer and arrived at the shelter. Neal was relieved to learn she would receive the proper care and her situation would be investigated. Shooting off a quick message, he promised his aid if anything further was needed and planned for another talk after work before closing his phone.

With the meeting over and the office settled down to their tasks, Neal began working on his own morning list while eating his meal.


	2. Evening Occupation

*******

Finishing work for the day, Neal went about turning off his computer and closing the files he had been working on. The office was empty of everyone but Peter, and even he was turning off his computer for the night. Feeling it was a safe time to leave without getting into trouble, Neal walked his files up for Peter to review in the morning.

"These are done." He simply stated. Peter could review his notes in his own time.

"I'll have a new stack on your desk in the morning. Do you need a ride?" Peter seemed distant. He wasn't offering the ride for their friendly banter to recount the day, but because Neal was his CI and responsibility.

"No, June has family over so a walk will help me to avoid interrupting their gathering." He made his excuse. Besides, he wanted to check in with his friend about the girl so the walk would give him plenty of opportunities to discuss her needs and how they could be brought about.

"Alright then," Peter said as he followed Neal down the stairs. Pausing at the door, he waited for Neal to grab his jacket before the two of them left the office together.

Riding the elevator down, Neal quietly thought about what his friend had told him. The girl came from a background of abuse and she had run away to escape it. Clenching his hands into fists, he was angry to be reminded of just how cruel people could be. Why did people feel a need to take their anger and lack of control out on others?

"Something bothering you?" Peter questioned as he had noticed Neal's actions. With nothing else to do, he had been observing Neal in their reflection.

"Nothing… of importance anyway. For as much as I can understand and see through people, sometimes they still elude me." He explained enough that Peter knew his problem was due to someone's actions, but not something so important as to describe it.

"But important enough to be bothering you and for you to clench your fists over it," Peter commented to probe further.

"People watching can lead to discovering a lot of things we don't like." Neal pictured the girl standing outside of the coffee shop again.

"Did you see something while getting the coffees this morning?" Peter got more concerned. He seemed to wonder if there was something to this he should know about.

"I only saw a homeless girl begging for food at the door to the coffee shop. Her situation reminded me of things that are a button for me." Neal said before darting out of the elevator.

Picking up his stride to try and catch him, Peter wasn't going to let the situation go. Although he was still angry with Neal, he was willing to overlook their differences for someone else. "Neal…"

"Don't Peter." Neal didn't want Peter to force him to reveal what he had done for the girl.

"What happened?" Peter pulled him back by the arm. "You don't tend to get this upset by simply seeing someone in a crowd."

Pausing, Neal turned to Peter. "No I don't, but then most people don't remind me of another girl crying as hard as her body can stand because she just lost her sister. That was decades ago so there is nothing you can do for her, and the girl today was headed in the direction of a shelter the last I saw of her. So don't worry Peter, there is nothing that needs to concern you." He shook Peter off but held his ground.

Returning to his anger, Peter glared at him. "How did the girl lose her sister?" He asked as there was still the concern as to why the situation was affecting Neal so much.

"She ran away, Peter. No one has seen her since and her sister was distraught to lose her only sibling." He switched to picturing the young redhead crying over the ice cream he had purchased for her.

"So, another young runaway has you remembering some other situation from the past. Why does it bother you so much?" Peter continued to push.

Frustrated, Neal didn't want to go into these details. Even though they were better than discussing the more recent situation, it was still a very personal detail and could reveal more than he wanted to be known. "Because I sat with the younger sister while she cried and we eventually became friends. What if the girl today has someone at home crying for them?" She might for all he knew, so the question made for a good reason while still being truthful.

Unsure of the situation, Peter stood watching him for a moment. Deciding on how to proceed, Peter made his suggestion before bidding Neal good night. "Point her out if you see her again. We'll make sure she gets the help she needs."

Returning the parting words, Neal walked away knowing he was already taking care of it and had no intention of pointing her out.

Once Neal was a little way down the street, he pulled out his phone and passed the time by making arrangements for the girl.

His first task was to get a full update as to what her situation was. Listening, he was given as much information as was legal into who she was and what her circumstances were. Moving on from there, he checked to see what assistance the shelter could provide and was happy to hear that her room and board was going to be taken care of in addition to three meals a day. It was a very good start.

Having completed the initial task, he moved on to one that would take a woman's touch. With a laugh, he was passed over to the man's wife. Discussing as few details as possible, he made the financial arrangements to cover purchasing a basic wardrobe and bare necessities for the girl to cover her needs.

Feeling like a yo-yo, he was then passed back to the husband. It was the last detail to be handled so there wasn't much to converse about. Mostly, he simply promised to get the girl a job interview to give her a prospective income. She was eighteen so she was of age to be out on her own, she just needed help making the jump into independence.

After completing the arrangements at the shelter, Neal called up his lawyer friend who conferred with the business's manager to inform him of the situation. Working together, they came up with a plan as to how they could create an opening for the girl.

Finally, with the situation satisfactorily resolved, Neal ended the call knowing the girl would be taken care of and that he no longer needed to worry about her.

Entering June's mansion, he could hear the laughter from further into the home. She and her family were having a wonderful time together it seemed. Not wanting to disturb them or bring any awkwardness by his presence, he made his way up to the loft as quietly as he could.

Closing the door behind him, he went about changing into more comfortable clothes and preparing his dinner. Considering how complicated his life was once again proving to be, he settled on something simple. It was only him eating it after all.

Taking the time to enjoy a moment of peace, he took his meal out onto the veranda and looked out over the view. Mostly it was the city's skyline and the blackness where stars hung in invisibility, but there was something soothing to it all the same. After a stressful day, he was all for something soothing.

Finishing his meal, it was time to clean up the last of his dishes and move on to his evening activities.

With no fear of interruptions, he pulled out his laptop and settled in on the kitchen table to work. It took a few moments for him to collect the rest of his investigation details from their hidey holes, but with the chance of an FBI raid at any time, he had to be secretive to ensure the extent of his resources wasn't discovered.

Since no one in the office seemed to even think of the possibility of his innocence in the treasure situation, he was looking for the answers on his own.

Looking at his timeline, there were few suspects he could think of, but always the possibility of someone else having been involved.

Peter knew of the situation and had seen the treasure at the same time as Neal. Could he have stolen the treasure, yes, maybe? The man was smart enough and had some knowledge of criminal means, but he didn't have a motive because he was happy with his life the way it was. Work and sweat led to advancement in his mind, to steal was to cheat the way everything was supposed to work. So, although Peter could have committed the crime, Neal knew he wasn't anywhere near the top of the suspect list.

Elizabeth, of course, was even less likely than Peter. Sure, she was very intelligent and capable of doing those things she chose to, but she also tended to be… awkward at anything along the lines of committing a crime where there wasn't something good in the intentions. As stealing blood money for greed didn't have any good intentions and she wasn't the best equipped for it, she wasn't likely to undertake the task.

Sara was more likely, for as unlikely as she was. The woman was a master at recovery. According to her files with Sterling and Bosch, she was their best recovery agent in the field. With her skills, intelligence, and knowledge of criminal thinking, she made for a likely suspect. What saved her from being a serious suspect was motive. Her job was to travel around the world and retrieve stolen artifacts by nearly any means necessary. Since there was no crime spree following her, despite being exposed to vast wealth before, it was generally safe to assume she wasn't doing a side job as a criminal. So, since she only retrieved what she was sent for, and her insurance agency had neither knowledge nor involvement, she didn't have much of a motive.

Growing warmer, Neal moved on to Mozzie. The man had built the signal means for finding the treasure, had been in the vicinity for the rescue, and hadn't been seen for a few days after. He had access to criminal tools, contacts, the skills to make use of them, and the motive desire to buy an island somewhere. Mozzie was the perfect suspect, minus one detail. If Mozzie had stolen the treasure, then why was he so certain Neal had done it? That question was the only thing keeping him from the number one rank.

Moving over to his next person in question, Neal thought about Alex. Her family had been looking for the treasure ever since her grandfather's days so she had a strong personal motive. Being a thief, she obviously had the skills and contacts to pull off the crime. Then there was the suspicious detail that she hadn't been seen or heard from since before the alleged theft. So, with nothing to contradict her guilt, she was running as the prime suspect.

To be fair though, Neal was taking into account that there could be other parties. There were other members of the team, like Jones and Berrigan, to consider. How many other Nazi lines could be out there that knew about it? What about other people who had learned of it? Adler had utilized help after all. That section was mostly just unfounded speculation with no real details. It wasn't really a detailed line of investigation, it was more just keeping his mind open for other possibilities if anything came up.

Then, he decided to add one last suspect… himself. Obviously, he was a suspect to everyone else, so he might as well put his information into his notes as well. Who knew, maybe he stole it in his sleep?

Having encompassed the suspect list as best as he could, Neal turned to determine what Peter might have as evidence. Obviously, something had come out in the debris, but what?

Thinking through the few pieces of the treasure that he had seen, Peter's knowledge of his skills, and how those fit together he assumed it was something he could forge. In cases past, Peter had learned of his metallurgy skills so jewelry and other such items might have survived the blast by being thrown away from the fire which would be potential evidence. Obviously, he would be suspected with paintings, but they were more likely to burn in the fire. Did Peter get a scrap of something he had seen Neal paint before? That was a potential reason for his suspicion falling on Neal. But why think Neal had stolen the treasure instead of assuming some scrap had survived? Visualizing what he had seen, Neal tried to picture what else might be used as potential evidence, but most of it was in boxes.

There wasn't any further avenue he could follow with those lines and his available information, so he turned to try to decipher what crime had been committed and how it could have been committed.

Wracking his brain, he hadn't been allowed to see the inside of the warehouse, just like he hadn't been allowed to see the wreckage or what evidence Peter was holding against him, so he had no idea what could be inside beyond a general visualization of other warehouses along the docks.

Since he didn't have anything better to work off of, he theorized how a person might steal something from a highly guarded warehouse in an old U-Boat while remaining undetected. It was a start, but he didn't have any evidence to verify which means was the most likely.

Reaching a point where he needed to go to sleep, he powered down the computer and got ready for bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, following, choosing to favorite, leaving kudos, and reviewing/commenting :D


	3. Greek Replication

*******

In the morning, Neal was getting ready for work when he heard a disturbance downstairs. Although it wasn't loud, there was something wrong.

Dressed in his slacks and undershirt, Neal was drying his hair a little further so he dropped the towel down around his neck and slipped out his door. Walking quietly down the stairs, he paused often and continued to listen to the sounds as he tried to pinpoint exactly where it was coming from.

Reaching the main floor, he continued to follow the noise until he found June and her family gathered around with a vase in June's hand.

Seeing no imminent threat, he let his guard down a little bit. "What is going on? I heard the commotion all the way upstairs." He was mostly focused on June as the center of attention, but his peripheral continued to keep tabs on the rest of the family.

"A vase of mine appears to have faded, but it was specially glazed to avoid that," June explained.

Frowning, Neal wondered why it was such an issue. Was it an heirloom, valuable, or just something sentimental from Byron? The best way to understand was to see the problem hands on. "May I?" He asked June.

Hesitating for a moment, June seemed to be reluctant to hand it over. Then she seemed to think better of it and gave him permission to inspect it. He was the resident art expert after all.

Carrying it over to the nearest table, Neal began his preliminary investigation into what was wrong with the vase.

First, he flipped it and looked at the artist's name on the bottom. Reading Diego Athanasiou, he knew the vase was valuable, which was likely part of the concern, but something about the famous name didn't look right. Keeping the detail in mind, he mulled over the likely causes while turning it for better lighting.

Moving on the edge of the bottom, he compared the unexposed bottom of the vase to the front, and then to the exposed back. The rear had obviously been the side to face the window and receive the sunlight, which would normally explain the fading, but then Athanasiou took extra care to ensure his work was protected from UV ray light as best as possible. That extra protection was just part of what made his work so expensive and valuable.

Having completed his initial observation, he pulled out his phone and took pictures to document his findings.

Finally, he asked for a paint sample. "Do you mind if I scrape a little off of the bottom for testing?"

Giving her permission, June had been afraid of his conclusion. "It is a forgery, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid it looks like it," Neal said. "Diego Athanasiou is renowned for his Greek inspiration in honor of his family heritage, so this looks like his work. But, when he completes one of his masterpieces, he always ensures it will stand the test of time as best as he can so he has invested in UV ray protection to prevent 'any brilliance from fading' which means this wasn't treated by him. Then combine that with the name on the bottom, and I am sure of it."

"What is wrong with the name on the bottom?" One of the family members asked.

Flipping the vase over so they could all see, Neal showed them what he meant. "If you look closely, you can see extra broad points where the brush stroke wasn't as smooth. Whoever did this, they had to pause and check their spelling."

Looking rather downcast, June was just as certain the vase was forged. The question was, when was it forged? Did she purchase a forgery? But Byron had been so sure he was working with a reputable dealer and had inspected it himself. Was it stolen sometime after being placed in their home? If so, when had it been done and by whom? Her staff had been with her for years so they were well trusted. With a sinking heart, she felt herself wondering if perhaps Neal had done it. She didn't want to believe it as he had been such a friend to her, but it was either him or a trusted staff member she had known for years longer…

Neal had turned his attention to documenting the situation in the hopes of solving the case quickly. "Do you have any pictures from when you first purchased it?"

Focusing back onto her surroundings, June tried to place whether she had one or not. "I do believe we had to take one for insurance. Are you looking to see if it was a fake from the beginning? Byron was so sure we had an original, how could we have ended up with a forgery?" She voiced some of what she had been thinking.

Soothing her, Neal explained. "This was done fairly well. The vase itself looks like the original, the hesitation could have been missed if the lighting didn't show it, and the fading detail was what brought the forgery to attention. Byron had a good eye from what you have said and this would have been a large purchase, so I doubt he missed the signature flaw. That means it was probably stolen at some point since it has been in your household, but I would keep the possibility that he might have missed it just in case. It never hurts to have all of your bases covered."

"Why do we need the picture then?" June's daughter asked. She seemed to be looking at Neal suspiciously, just like the rest of the family.

"The picture can be magnified and studied to see if the original purchase and the one that you have are exactly identical. If there was also a picture of the signature taken, it will be an easier means of verifying if you still have the same one." Neal explained the purpose and direction the investigation would take.

"Is there any other way to investigate?" Cindy pushed further. She was an art student herself and knew older pictures weren't as reliable as modern pictures when it came to pixels and the visibility of details.

Appreciating her thoroughness, Neal continued to explain the details. "Yes, there is the fading itself. By taking paint samples from both sides, they can be compared to see how much the one side differs from the other. Then the white from the side that has been exposed to the light can also be compared to the white on the bottom edge that has not been exposed. Although it's only a rough means, it can be estimated how long the vase has been sitting in the window and likely how long it has been since the original was stolen."

Continuing to take notes as he jotted down the details of their comments and his observations, Neal noticed one more problem.

"Another thing, these gold colors in the background are not quite right. They are really close, but Athanasiou generally uses a more vibrant yellow for the smaller details to make them pop better, and less orange to the primary details as he prefers yellow over orange in color. Whoever did this, they either don't have a good eye for color, or enough knowledge to know how important it was for the artist to personalize his work by using his favorite shades of colors. Knowing the artist is a key element to a forgery, so another note about the suspect is that they are someone with a good eye for talent, but a lack of detailed knowledge."

Having completed a preliminary investigation of his own as far as he could go with the naked eye and information off the top of his head, he figured it was time to take things to the next step. "I should go finish getting dressed, but I'll text Peter to come in when he gets here instead of waiting for me outside. He'll be interested to know what is going on and can help you start an official investigation as I am assuming you don't want my help any further. In the meanwhile though, it's a good idea to contact your insurance provider, because the sooner they are involved, the smoother it will all go." Neal had noticed the growing suspicion on the faces of everyone in the room. It was obvious he was becoming another prime suspect in a crime he hadn't committed.

Sighing to himself, he ignored the looks and moved to head back upstairs with his notes in hand.

Reaching the loft, he grabbed his phone and texted Peter as promised. With that finished, he moved to scan his notes into his computer in between getting ready for the day. He was going to be the prime suspect, so he might as well keep as many details for his own investigation as possible.

After he had finished his routine, he went back downstairs to see if Peter had arrived yet.

Reaching the main floor again, he found the man deep in conversation with June, so he approached to see if his observations were wanted or not.

"I scanned my notes into my computer so I don't need them anymore." He said as he passed them to the stern agent. "Do you want me to walk you through how I came to those conclusions?"

"No Caffrey, June has already given me the details you mentioned." Peter brushed him off and created a distance in a single sentence.

"Why don't you go and get your breakfast, Peter has the situation here handled." June also dismissed him.

Seeing that his presence was unwanted, Neal followed their directions and returned to the loft to prepare himself a quick meal. He was obviously not invited to partake in the family meal downstairs, so it was a simple affair by himself.

Taking refuge on the balcony again, he figured he might as well take whatever respite he could to start the day as it was going to be another long and uncomfortable one.

Once he had finished his meal, he returned to the kitchenette to clean up.

When he was drying the last of the dishes, he heard the sound of someone approaching up the stairs. Apparently, Peter was done downstairs and was coming to get him for work.

"Come in, I'm just putting the last dishes away," he called before Peter could knock.

Peter opened the door to verify what Neal said was true. While he waited for him to finish and grab his things, he ordered. "Hurry up; we should be at the office by now."

Knowing he was even lower in his friend's esteem, Neal didn't even bother trying to plead his innocence. What was the use without evidence to back it up?

Walking down the stairs was a quiet affair so it didn't take long for the men to reach the main level, walk out the door, and reach the car.

Taking off down the street, Peter had his fury radiating off of him in waves. Eventually, he voiced his accusation. "How could you Neal? June took you in and gave you everything. Because of her, you have your fancy loft and Rat Pack wardrobe, but that just wasn't enough, was it?" He seethed.

Ignoring the statements, Neal continued to stare out the window instead.

Irritated at being ignored, Peter hit the brakes harder than necessary for a stop light to jerk Neal forwards. "What? No pleas for your innocence? I know you aren't going to be honest, but you aren't even trying." Thinking better of it, he continued. "Which is probably a good thing though; because if I heard you make one excuse right now I wouldn't drive you to the office, but rather straight to jail."

There it was again. Neal wasn't even looking at Peter. He had already seen the furious hurt look in his closest friend's eyes a few too many times, and he didn't want the burden of another round.

"Look at me, Neal!" Peter ordered. He didn't like Neal's continued stare out the window at the traffic like he could ignore the situation if he just looked the other way.

Turning calmly, Neal kept his own hurt at Peter's mistrust and obvious fury to himself. Instead, he was back to wearing a mask, their friendship was over.

"Why aren't you saying, or doing anything? At least you had comments to make in the case of the treasure." Peter spat out the words.

"I also plead my innocence in the case of the diamond necklace, but no one would listen until I had proof the FBI was framing me, and you still won't trust me in the case of the treasure despite being one of the key witnesses that I had nothing to do with whatever happened. Consider them lessons learned." The words were kind of mean and seemed rather like punches to remind Peter of his past mistake in comparison with the same situation happening again, but Neal couldn't refrain from taking the only chance he had. If Peter ignored it, then their friendship might never be repaired.

Surprised, Peter hadn't even thought about the earlier case. The reminder that he had followed the 'evidence' before in the wrong direction soothed some of his fury. Although Neal was still his prime suspect in both crimes, maybe he should cut back on the accusations a little bit… just in case.

Breathing out in a huffed snort, he stopped berating Neal and chose to regain control of his temper for the remainder of the drive.

Feeling his shoulders relax a little, Neal could see that Peter had understood his reminder. He was still the prime suspect, but at least Peter was being a little less aggressive with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, leaving kudos, and choosing to favorite :D


	4. Conflicting Suspicion

*******

Pulling into the parking structure, Peter kept the doors locked for just a moment. "I hope you prove us wrong again." Then the doors were unlocked and he was walking into the office.

Smiling slightly, Neal knew they weren't friends again, but at least he knew they had a chance. "I can assure you, I intend to do just that." He said to himself as he moved to catch up.

Walking into the office building, Peter kept a thoughtful silence as Neal remained by his side. He was still furious at Neal if he had committed the crimes, but he tempered it down until he could further verify it. Neal's reminder had him wanting to double check the accuracy of his information but also questioning Neal's motive for bringing it up. Was Neal reminding him of the situation from before so he didn't jump to the wrong conclusion again, or was he trying to distract him from the truth because he was guilty? Unable to determine which, he would keep his guard up and push on to discover the truth at the root of the problem.

Reaching the elevator, Peter turned to him, "The truth will out, Neal."

"Good, the sooner the better," Neal said as he looked him in the eyes.

For a moment, the two of them stood in a silent staring match while Peter tried to gauge how Neal meant it. He wanted to believe the surface of it, that Neal was innocent, but he couldn't help but question it with all of the evidence stacking up against him.

After giving him a moment, Neal sighed as he turned back towards the doors. "But I will always be in question… cops don't trust con artists after all." His voice fell in disappointment. Even once he was cleared this time, another case would happen another day that would destroy their relationship again… it was the cycle of his life.

Not knowing what to say, Peter stayed to his side of the elevator and chose not to say anything at all. What could he say? Neal was right; he didn't trust him… never completely. He always had his trouble radar for looking for signals in the back of his mind, and Neal continuously gave him just enough reason that he never shut it off.

Reaching the office floor in awkward silence, Neal let Peter lead the way as he fell into step behind him.

While Peter continued up to his office, Neal stopped off at his desk.

Pausing, Neal took his hat off and placed it on the desk before slipping his jacket off to hang behind it. Then he started his computer and went to get himself a cup of office brew while it booted up.

Standing at the break area he could feel the piercing stares penetrating him from around the room. As it usually goes, word traveled fast. It was hardly past the usual start of the day and the entire team already knew about June's robbery, so it wasn't hard to guess who the favorite suspect was.

Ignoring them the same as he had been, Neal simply continued to stir plenty of cream and sugar into the sludgy brew. It wouldn't make the consistency any better, but it might help mask the taste enough to make it drinkable. Since no one else in the office had been drinking it, Neal suspected it was just another form of punishment, bad coffee for the bad consultant. He had been in worse situations and at least the FBI didn't get as petty in their retribution as others had in the past, so Neal simply soldiered his way through.

Returning to his desk, Neal sat his cup down on the museum coaster he had bought the first time Peter had taken him to the Met without the cause of an investigation. It was more interesting than the generic one he had been using before and it had a memento feeling to it from one of the first times Peter had gone an extra mile for him as a friend instead of his CI.

It was time for Neal to get to work as his computer was humming and there was a pile of files staring him in the face. Knowing what this punishment contained, he wasn't the least bit surprised to find another boring mortgage fraud case in the file. Recent experience had taught him that his workload had been reduced to only the most boring and uninspiring cases that could be thrown his way.

Glancing up at the conference room, he figured the secret case was one reason why he was being relegated to the boring work. It freed the valuable assets of the team for whatever they were doing behind the closed door.

The other reason was probably to avoid temptation. Supposedly he had already succumbed to the treasure, why would the FBI wish to provide him with any more targets?

Attempting to shake off the melancholy mood that had descended, Neal took a preliminary glance through for a general feeling as to how the case would progress and collected the office resources he would need to solve it.

Throwing most of his focus into the files, he kept some attention on his surroundings as was second nature. He had been burned too many times to let his guard down and there was too much at risk if he did.

*******

As the day progressed and the mortgage files got more and more boring, Neal reached the point he needed a break before he ended up cross-eyed.

Brown bagging it at his desk for lunch, Neal cleared his files away to the side and sketched alien worlds to wake himself up.

For some reason, the scene was a barren and lonely desert full of dangers with hints at lurking foes. The mountains seemed to stand blurry in the far distance like sentinels guarding the border of his prison. Covering the miles in between were high and craggy rocks forming canyon walls while the floor was littered with jagged pieces making it a treacherous place to be. Then, shimmering in the dust was the hint of Peter's face. It was difficult to make out as it was drawn lightly with many little dots, but when it was seen, it was obviously the furious look Peter had worn in the car when he forced Neal to look at him.

Already haunted by the image anyway, Neal brushed the paper off of his desk and into the trash before getting up and leaving the room. He needed a break from their scrutiny to let his walls down and take off the mask. None of them could know the truth, so he had to seek solitude to regroup.

Unknowingly, he left the picture open to be seen by not crumpling it up. Peter had been coming down the stairs on his way to lunch when he had seen Neal unceremoniously flick the page off of his desk. Curious as to what it could be, he retrieved it and carried it with him.

Riding the elevator down alone, Peter looked at the picture and tried to understand what had bothered Neal so much. Sure, it was a rather lonely and desolate place, but there was a beauty to the way he drew the viewer into the setting. Looking at it was actually making Peter kind of thirsty and had him wondering why the elevator was a little warm.

Pondering it, Peter had a sudden thought, was it a depiction of how Neal felt? Like an insight into his current emotional state? It wasn't good if that was the case.

Feeling a pang of guilt, Peter ignored it. All of the evidence pointed to Neal and he seemed to be the likely suspect in both cases. It wasn't his fault Neal was facing the consequences of his actions.

'But what if they weren't his actions?' bounced through his mind again. Shaking his head, Peter fought the questions Neal had brought up. Why did the man have to make everything so hard?

Thrusting the argument out of his head altogether, Peter was going to try and enjoy lunch with his wife so he didn't want Neal ruining it with his head games.

Exiting the elevator, he met Elizabeth in the lobby with a greeting kiss before steering her out the doors.

"How has your day been?" He started up a conversation with her.

"What is wrong Peter?" She ignored him. "Did Neal do something to June?" Her tone got an angry ring to it. She knew Peter had left early to investigate a situation at June's.

"Nothing… maybe, I don't know." So much for that, Peter thought.

"Oh honey, that is not nothing. Start from the beginning." Elizabeth didn't like to see her husband upset and the best way to help was to understand.

"We have another case and Neal is the prime suspect." He went on to explain how June's vase had faded, the forged signature, and the theory Neal had forged it sometime after taking up residence in her home.

"That's awful!" Elizabeth gasped. "How did Neal react to it being discovered?"

Shrugging with a sigh, Peter relayed June's answer. "According to June and the family, he came downstairs acting rather alert after hearing the commotion. Then when he looked the vase over, he went through details and shared his notes like it was an impersonal investigation while keeping his comments to the family professionally friendly. He didn't hold back a thing as far as we can tell, but was it an act to throw us off, or real because he is genuinely innocent?"

"But why keep such a distance, June is his friend and he has also become friends with some of her family?" Elizabeth questioned.

"Because he has been being distant with all of us lately. In the office, he does his work, takes the sludge that is being engineered for him without complaint, and ignores the office in general. No one has been really talkative to him beyond the necessary, and most seem to have built their walls back up stronger than they were when he first started, so there isn't much interaction anyway." Running his fingers through his hair, Peter was at a loss as to what to do. "If Neal really is guilty, then this is only the beginning because he will go to jail for life after this, but if he isn't…"

"Is there a reason to question his innocence? I thought everything looked pretty sure and you were just waiting to remove any benefit of a doubt by having something to better tie him to the painting sample." Elizabeth was still incensed that Neal had the audacity to do such a thing. To give up his life with them for a life on the run, what happened to the story that he was tired of running?

"That still stands, but… it's something he said when I accused him of robbing June that reminded me." Peter paused as he pictured Neal's masked expression when he said it. Neal didn't trust him to watch his back anymore. He had lost all progress in getting behind those façade of his because they were obviously back with a vengeance. Sighing, Peter couldn't entirely blame him. What Neal said had him feeling like maybe he had let his partner down. It was a very slim chance, but the crack had made its presence known.

"What did he say?" Elizabeth asked suspiciously.

"Do you remember the Steinmetz pink diamond necklace?" At her nod and comprehension, he continued. "Everything pointed to him then too. His anklet data had been conveniently erased and they even put his signature on the necklace making it a perfect set up of evidence… but Neal was innocent the whole time while no one believed him. I even arrested him and made him do the perp walk for a crime he didn't commit." It had been a shame then, and it was one he didn't want to repeat. That feeling gave him caution, something he hoped he wouldn't regret later.

"So, he reminded you that he had been innocent last time when the deck was stacked against him. Do you think he is playing on your sympathies to get you to lower your guard, or that he might genuinely be innocent?" Elizabeth was frustrated. Neal just had to throw her husband for a loop when he was just starting to adjust to him being guilty.

"Good question… it has been warring in my head all day, and wasn't helped by this." He passed her the drawing.

Gasping lightly, Elizabeth still wasn't used to seeing someone randomly sketch something so beautiful. Neal was the only artist she knew as a friend or had known. "He drew this?"

"Yes, notice how barren and desolate the landscape is? If it's a depiction of his emotions, then he is certainly feeling the isolation." Peter sounded a little guilty. The office's treatment wasn't hurting Neal, so he hadn't moved to intervene, and he himself wasn't spending any quality time with him either. Maybe he should pay a little more attention though, as the man was his responsibility after all.

Understanding Peter's battle, Elizabeth asked. "Has he done any other drawings lately that might show his perspective any further?"

"Just the one I have at work. He drew it yesterday while he was waiting for the team meeting to get started. The thing was so confusing and complex that I don't know what to make of it. As far as I can understand it, there are dozens of pictures within pictures. Whatever he felt while drawing that one, he didn't want to share it." There was another pang. Neal seemed to be hurt by their treatment, but he was reacting by hiding behind calm and professional masks making his appearance unusually bland.

Finding herself just as unsure and tangled as Peter was, Elizabeth didn't know how to help. "Bring it home with you tonight. I would like to see it. Maybe we'll figure it out if we work on it together?"

"We can try, but I have a feeling Neal is a lot more complicated than we give him credit for," Peter commented on the sudden thought. The man was a master of perception, what could he be hiding behind those facades? There was a time when he thought he knew him and had deciphered the puzzle, but lately, Peter was right back to riddling his way through Neal's character.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, and leaving kudos :D


	5. Notice of Eviction

*******

Walking back into the office, Neal had regained his composure for handing the antagonistic atmosphere. Squaring his shoulders and reaffixing his mask of indifference, he settled back into his desk and began to work on the case files again.

It didn't take long before Peter returned from his lunch.

Expecting to be ignored, Neal kept his head low and worked diligently on the case file. When Peter paused, he didn't know what to expect and tensed slightly in fear of the unknown.

"Are those cases coming together?" Peter made a bland conversation starter.

Looking up, Neal could see Peter wasn't trying to be patronizing. The agent was just making awkward conversation for the first time in a long while. "Easily enough. These aren't challenging, just boring." He responded in kind, with distant professionalism.

"Good… good." Peter seemed to be trying to figuring out how to broach whatever subject was on his mind, but he was interrupted when Sara entered the office.

"I have an update on our case, Peter." She seemed to be nervous as she approached Neal's vicinity.

"Sara," Neal calmly acknowledged her before ducking his head back to the folder as if he was physically removing himself from their presence.

"Caffrey," Sara acknowledged in return before focusing back onto Peter. "Can we speak in your office? We need to make arrangements for tomorrow."

Peter hesitated but agreed before leading Sara up to his office.

Neal relaxed his shoulders after the doors closed while continuing to work. If it was important, then Peter would find a way to get it said, but at least it might not be in front of the entire office.

Keeping his focus on the files and making good headway on his stack, Neal had accomplished quite a bit before Sara exited Peter's office.

"I'll bring them over in the morning so we can get all of the information at the same time. They have been hard enough to nail down that we want to take advantage of this chance." She was saying as she walked down the stairs.

"The team and I will get our paperwork together tonight." Peter agreed that it was best to get the work done while they had an opportunity.

Having completed her tasks with the FBI for the day, Sara walked out in a hurry to make arrangements with her own company so they would also have their paperwork ready for the meeting.

Feeling the light breeze as she passed and hearing the door close, Neal knew precisely when she was gone. Sighing slightly, he noticed she didn't even take the time to bid him goodbye.

While the team met with Peter in order to organize their side of the case for the next morning and then ran around endeavoring to get everything together, Neal simply sat at his desk and worked his way through one file after another.

When the end of the day finally came, Neal walked the pile up to Peter's office and quietly laid them on his desk before slipping back out with Peter hardly having a chance to realize he was even there.

"Neal," Peter called.

Stepping back in, Neal looked at him quietly, "Don't, Peter."

"Are you okay?" Peter asked anyway.

"I'm fine, Peter. Eventually, I will figure out what happened with each case, and then maybe things will get back to normal." He addressed Peter's obvious concerns.

Frowning, Peter didn't like the assumption that he and the team would fail to get to the truth. "Why do you think you have to solve the cases by yourself?"

"Remember, the Steinmetz diamond necklace case? This is just another part of that lesson. I need to have evidence of my innocence first, and so far I don't have any." There was a distance to him. He was almost pushing Peter away so the agent didn't get caught too close to the fire with him.

Feeling like he had been punched in the gut, Peter wasn't sure if he should be upset or angry. "So, we suspect you of crimes that the evidence points to you as the most likely suspect of and you walk away from us? Last time you came to us for help." The anger won out.

Looking Peter straight in the eyes, Neal answered. "You don't believe me when I tell you the complete truth. Either you believe any evidence that points to the contrary, or you question me because I'm a con. So if I want you to believe me in these situations, I have to have strong evidence to verify my innocence. Until then, I am on my own."

"And you think that helps? You say you are innocent, so then help us prove it!" Peter challenged.

"You don't want or need my help. There is a reason I am sitting down there working mortgage fraud cases instead of the ones that actually fit in my specialties, and that is because no one trusts me with anything more than the barest minimum. As for proving my innocence, if you and Sara aren't good enough witnesses, Mozzie hating me for supposedly stealing the treasure without him doesn't mean that my most likely accomplice wasn't involved, and the anklet proving I was nowhere near the treasure isn't enough, then there isn't a thing I can do help anyway." Neal finished as he started to turn away.

There was that kicking was in his gut again. A part of Peter felt there was definitely something to what Neal had said. Just like the diamond case, Neal kept mentioning though, he proceeded to follow the evidence. He could always apologize later if he was wrong, but he didn't want to fall for one of Neal's head games, so he chose to err on the side of caution in the favor of justice over friendship.

Still, as much as he was battling between friendship and the pursuit of justice, Peter felt his protective side also stirring. "Then let me know once you have the evidence." He extended an olive branch before addressing his main concern for starting the conversation. "In the meanwhile, drawing desolate pictures and taking everything on alone is another concern. Whether you committed the crimes or not, you are still my responsibility."

Going stiff, Neal hoped Peter hadn't noticed his face shimmering in the dust. The image wouldn't help his feelings of guilt at all. "You have been collecting my drawings have you?"

"Even if I don't understand them, they are a window into you that can't be achieved any other way," Peter stated calmly, but he was observing Neal closely. Obviously, he would need to look at the desert picture closer. Something about it had Neal freezing like he had something hidden in it.

"Not always, sometimes they are a random sketch while I am thinking." Neal tried to downplay their importance before reassuring Peter. "As for everything else… Don't worry about me, Peter. I can take care of myself." He didn't want Peter to be nice to him out of pity. Sure, being ostracized wasn't any fun, but it could be worse.

"Just… tell me if anything goes too far." Peter knew he wasn't getting Neal to open up to him, not after everything that had been happening between them.

Seeing he was being dismissed, Neal walked out the door.

Collecting his things and leaving the office, he walked home again. Walking was a great opportunity to try and work through the evidence for June's case as well as trying to prepare for whatever reception he might receive. After all, he had been the primary suspect that morning, so it wasn't likely to be a very welcoming one…

Reaching the mansion, he fortified himself for the worst by squaring his shoulders and making sure his mask was firmly in place again.

Walking in through the front door, he wasn't surprised to see June and her family waiting for him. Looking at them, it was obvious they still suspected him and had spent the day discussing what to do. Whatever their conclusion was, it was going to be serious and unpleasant based on their expressions and stances.

Greeting them pleasantly, he didn't try to pacify them. Once he had completed the basic pleasantries of courtesy, he stood silently as if they were the judge and jury about to deliver his sentence.

"Neal… my family and I have been discussing it, and considering the situation, I think it is best if you find somewhere else to live while the investigation is going on." June tried to lighten the blow in the hopes he might be proven innocent, but she suspected him enough to go along with her family.

Nodding formally, Neal responded. "It will only take me a short to collect my few things. I know where the hotel is and can have Peter texted to make the official arrangements while I pack. Do you need me to sign any forms to end our agreement?"

Surprised at how easily Neal walked away, June felt hurt that he didn't even question her or fight for his innocence. "That would work. I'm sure Peter will have something to be taken care of."

Smirking ever so slightly, Neal agreed. "I'm sure he will. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some packing to do."

Turning away quickly, he walked up the stairs at his usual pace. Entering the loft, he paused to look around and estimated how quickly he could have the task completed.

Once he had a plan, he pulled out his phone and shot off the text to Peter. He didn't want to add to the agent's workload so late into the evening, but it couldn't be helped considering the circumstances.

With the task done, Neal proceeded to grab his bags from the closet. He had packed a minimalistic wardrobe in case he ever had to leave in a hurry. Pulling one outfit, he quickly changed into it so June would have everything she had given to him back.

Moving on to his second bag, he collected his computer, evidence, and the few work-related items he had stashed about the loft. There wasn't much, so it all fit neatly into the computer bag.

Collecting the last of his personal processions, they fit into the first bag with his clothes.

Setting the luggage next to the door, he made one last perusal. Satisfied there was nothing left that could reveal anything he didn't want to be known, he picked up the two bags and carried them down the stairs.

Reaching the main floor, he sat the bags next to the front door before he went to find June.

It didn't take him long to find her sipping tea while she talked to Peter. "My things are packed. I'm sure you have some form or another to be signed?" He said to June and then turned to Peter.

Pointing to the open file on the table in between them, Peter addressed the paperwork. "It just needs your signature that you agree to the termination of the rental agreement. These were drawn up from the beginning just in case anything came up."

Ignoring the implication that his return to jail was expected, Neal simply picked up the pen and flourished his signature. "Do you want to do a search to verify there is nothing in my procession that shouldn't be?" Neal asked the two of them.

"Neal…" June started to say. She didn't like the way it felt to treat her friend in such a manner.

"Yes, mom. You should have him searched just in case." June's son-in-law suggested.

"Peter," Neal turned to him as a means of giving permission to complete the search.

Following Neal with a heavy heart, Peter didn't like all of the distrust that was going on. If Neal really did turn out to be innocent, then this was all going to be for naught, and they would all be feeling bad later. He was already going to feel horrible no matter how it went, but he didn't want anyone else to feel the burden.

Checking through Neal's bags and doing a pat down, Peter verified for the family that Neal didn't have anything in his procession that didn't belong to him.

Picking up the main bag, Peter moved to carry it out to the car despite Neal's protests. When he was in range he popped the trunk, placed the first bag in, waited for Neal to lay the other bag in, closed the trunk, and climbed into the driver's seat.

Before he put the key into the ignition, he paused for a moment. "I'm sorry, Neal. If you are guilty then this just makes it easier for later, but if you aren't…" He didn't want to go into any detail for how badly any of them were going to feel.

"It isn't the first time," Neal vaguely commented.

Knowing he wasn't going to get any kind of detailed explanation, Peter took off for the hotel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, and leaving kudos :D


	6. Restless Night

*******

Pulling up in front of the hotel, Peter felt like everything was regressing.

His relationship with Neal had progressed to friends, sometimes even family, and now they were back to distant strangers riding in the same car. All of his work to get behind Neal's mask, all of the progress to get Neal to lower his barriers, and all of his effort to get Neal to come out of hiding was simply swirling down the drain.

If it wasn't for the memories of better times, Peter would almost guess he had just released Neal for his work release… but it was worse for the memories. If Neal really had done the crimes, then their friendship was broken, perhaps beyond repair.

The others seemed to be having the same issue too. According to Neal, Mozzie hated him, June had obviously lost her willingness to take a chance on him, Elizabeth wasn't talking to him, the team was distant, and even Sara had ended their romance. Neal had lost every relationship he had worked for over the last few years. And for what? A treasure he did or didn't take?

There were obviously two sides to the situation. Either Neal took it and they were justified in being upset with him, or he didn't take it and he was justified in withdrawing from people who so easily blamed him. Wincing, Peter really didn't like either option, but he hoped for the second as it would mean Neal wouldn't have to go back to prison.

"Stop beating yourself up over this," Neal startled him by talking.

"I was just thinking about how everything seems to have regressed." Peter wasn't going to open up to the rest of what was going on inside of his head.

"Uh-huh," Neal commented, but otherwise let him have his way. Climbing out of the car, he moved to the trunk where he waited for Peter to pop it for him. Once it was open, he lifted the lid and slid his computer bag over his shoulder to lay across his chest before grabbing the duffel in one hand and closing the trunk with the other.

Walking silently across the street, the two men went up to the entrance. Peter opened the door and held it for Neal before following him up to the front desk.

Ringing the bell, he waited for the clerk to arrive from somewhere in the back. "I'm agent Burke. We spoke on the phone a little while ago about a room for Neal Caffrey."

Grunting, the man didn't say much as he got the key and took care of the check-in details with Peter.

Standing loosely beside him, Neal acted just as easily as if he was being checked into some decent place instead of the flea-bitten motel they were standing in. He was thinking through the places he had been to that offered worse accommodations and it was sad just how many he could come up with, but it helped to make his new home more bearable.

After getting Neal checked in, Peter walked him back to the room and unlocked the door before holding it open. While he stood at the door, he was surprised at just how prepared Neal was.

"When did you buy yourself a new wardrobe?" He asked as he eyed the basic suits Neal was hanging in the open closet. It was one of the questions that had been bothering him.

"Saw the writing on the wall and figured it was a good idea to be prepared." Was all Neal said in response.

Continuing to watch for a moment, Peter observed how efficiently Neal settled himself in, like he had already planned. "You even had a treat in your pocket to get rid of the dog. Why did you foresee yourself being evicted?" There was a hint of suspicion behind the question. Was Neal aware of something pertaining to June's robbery?

"June has made it clear she believes me to be guilty of the treasure, and she doesn't approve. Considering how everything else was going, this was inevitable… not her being robbed, as I didn't see that coming, but the whole getting evicted bit was practically an obvious eventuality." He frowned to himself. How had he missed that? Was it before he had arrived?

Seeing Neal settled in for the evening, Peter made the last few official arrangements before heading home for the night.

Having the place to himself, Neal went about personalizing the room. It was basic with a bed, small table, two chairs, and a nightstand for the main portion of the room. Off to the side, there was a kitchenette that contained a mini fridge, microwave, one cupboard, and a tiny counter for food preparation. Across from it was the bathroom which was also very basic and only contained the barest of essentials.

Still needing to get dinner and a few other items to set up his new living space, Neal locked the door and walked to a nearby corner store. Making his way around the aisles, he didn't take too long to make his purchases. Then with his groceries and a few home supplies in hand, he went back towards the hotel.

On his way, he ducked into a restaurant for a quick meal to go before finishing the trip.

Arriving back at the hotel, he put the groceries away and found homes for the other supplies. Then he settled in at the table with his dinner to eat while he did some preliminary work to organize his research again.

Looking around the room, he noticed the peeling paint, mold, and holes that were already in the walls anyway. Figuring that no one would really care, he started to pin the papers up on the wall.

Little by little, he created a timeline across the wall for what little he knew about the treasure. There were his activities accounted for, Peter's, Mozzie's, and so on down the list until he had the holes narrowed down as best as he could get them. Based on the information, the person with the most gaping hole in their timeline was Alex. She was his most likely suspect, but he had no verifiable proof.

Choosing to utilize the smaller wall for June's case, he moved to begin pinning. Mostly, he had the research about when the vase was made, and then what had happened since the forgery had been discovered. It wasn't much, but he had a start.

Breathing deeply as he surveyed his work, Neal knew it was time to be going to sleep. There wasn't anything more he could do for the night.

It didn't take him long to prepare for bed, so soon enough he was under the covers and hoping for more information the next day.

*******

Meanwhile, across the city, Peter was not having the easiest of nights.

It was getting late, but he couldn't help looking over his evidence and the drawings Neal had recently completed. There was something he was missing, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

"The scrap of painting is the same one I saw him painting a few weeks ago. This could be the same painting, which would explain why I haven't seen the other one since, or this could be the original and Neal's is wherever he keeps his completed works. If this is his, then he is involved somehow, or if it is the original, then he is innocent as he says." He rubbed his fingers through his hair.

If he asked Neal to present the picture he had painted, then he would know which one was in question. Either he would pull the one he had done, or he would paint a new one to cover his tracks. The easiest way to settle that part of the case would be to test the sample.

Then the next problem would depend on the results. If it was the original, then there was still the question of how the treasure blew up, but if it was a modern painting, then there would be the question of who painted it and how it got into the U-Boat. How could they prove if Neal did, or didn't do it? That took him right back to his questions about Neal knowing which picture was a part of the evidence.

Since there wasn't any other conclusive evidence, there was an element of guess and gut instinct in the situation, but Neal was still the best person for it.

Granted, Neal had brought up the previous situation where the evidence pointed to his guilt, but he was innocent. There were also holes, like his alibi and Mozzie not speaking to him, but what if the whole Mozzie thing was an act as they were in on it together? Then there were still other accomplices Neal could work with, like Alex for instance. She had the skills and means of pulling off the crime, but how would she have traced back to the U-Boat? Also, if Neal had a treasure waiting, why was he still hanging around?

Pulling up the tracking data, Peter checked for the umpteenth time in the last hour to verify if Neal was still in fact at the hotel. Seeing the dot was where it was supposed to be, he continued trying to work through the case.

It didn't matter how hard Peter thought through the evidence or tried to solve the case. Everything seemed to come back to Neal being the best suspect.

Frustrated, he moved on to the case at June's house, but it wasn't any better. The paint samples had been sent in for testing so they didn't have a timeline yet, June's employees all passed their background checks, and Neal came up as the most likely suspect again. He was the newest person, had the skills, and criminal history. There was only the lack of reason for him to use June so poorly. Sure, there was the financial gain, but he could surely find another way?

Going from one puzzle to another, Peter worked to find something in one of them, but the cases were waiting for more action or information, so there wasn't much progress to be made.

Deciding to take a closer inspection of the drawings again, he studied them for a bit.

The desert one was the easiest to decipher, but he was obviously missing something because Neal had reacted to it. As the desert scene wasn't too revealing, there had to be something else…

"Why are you still up?" Elizabeth asked over his shoulder.

"I'm still trying to make sense of this mess. Neal seems to be so guilty, and the evidence would leave him as the most likely suspect, but I don't have something like a picture to tie him to the treasure case, and there isn't enough information on June's robbery yet." He ran his fingers through his hair again. "Since I need more information to make any further headway on those, I moved on to studying the drawing. Neal reacted when he realized I have it, so there is something in here, but I haven't been able to figure out what." Peter really didn't enjoy feeling like the answer was right in front of him while he couldn't see it. That frustrated him.

"Do you want me to take the piece in for testing? I can have it done off the books through some of my old contacts." Elizabeth volunteered. "They have been very busy with some art shows that are traveling through town, but I'm sure they can work it in sometime over the next week or two."

Knowing it was necessary, Peter agreed. "That is probably the best way to go. Then if Neal is innocent the bosses don't question his presence any more than they already do… but it will be a more reliable means of verifying it if Neal doesn't know. Oh, and honey, don't tell Mozzie either, just in case he is actually working with Neal."

Kissing him lightly, Elizabeth hoped to get a favorable answer but knew they would handle the results together.

"Now, have you tried looking for something that isn't so obvious? Deserts often tend to shimmer and distort the image, so maybe Neal took advantage of that." Elizabeth suggested as a distraction.

Slowly making their way over the barren landscape together, they looked for anything out of the ordinary.

Breathing deeper suddenly, Peter was startled to realize what was hidden in the picture. "It's me! He drew the expression I had after learning of June's robbery. I was so angry with him at first… I almost drove him to jail instead of to work. Then when I made him speak, he reminded of his previous innocence, so I have been fighting back and forth again all day. Apparently, he hasn't forgotten our conversation either."

Looking at the center where Peter had pointed, Elizabeth also noticed the image. It was the angriest expression she had ever seen on her husband's face. This case was really messing with him a lot.

"Based on how he flicked this into the trash, the situations are all bothering him behind those masks of his, but he isn't letting any of us in." Changing to rub his face tiredly, Peter mulled on what had been revealed. "He has been taking everything with a professional and distantly polite exterior which is why I find his pictures so interesting. This one is a desolate and lonely place haunted by my anger, while the other one just seems to be a complex drawing of pictures within pictures. I'm no expert on people's emotions being expressed in their drawings, but I would hazard to guess that Neal is conflicted by everything that is going on, but particularly upset with my reaction."

Rubbing his shoulders, Elizabeth tried to help loosen the knots that were taking up residence. "He has brought a lot of it on himself too. If he hadn't made the past decisions to be a criminal then everyone would be more inclined to believe when he claims to be innocent, but with his past, it is really hard not to see that he really could do both crimes if he wanted too."

"Which is what makes this so hard," Peter lamented. "I don't want to lose my best friend, but I'm not going to let him use me either."

"Why don't we go to bed, this will all be here in the morning and you'll be fresher to think it through." She suggested before leading him up to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, and leaving kudos :D
> 
> I forgot to note before, but I will be traveling for the next two weekends. Next weekend is my brother's birthday trip so I plan to post on Monday, the 15th when we get back. Then I leave on Tuesday for the time with extended family (the trip I wrote the 7 custom princess stories for) so I plan to post either Sunday night the 21st or the next evening after work if we get home too late. After that there are no interruptions until September ;) I know this story has angst and suspense, but I'm glad you're enjoying it and continue to look forward to sharing the rest of it and seeing what you think :D


	7. More Complications

*******

Getting up in the morning to his new alarm, Neal went about the basics of what would be his new routine. There was the plain coffee to be made, a shower to be had, and a generic suit to be donned before preparing a quick breakfast.

Once he was ready for the day, Neal moved to stand out in front of the hotel as he occasionally did at June's. When Peter pulled up, he climbed into the passenger seat with a bland morning greeting.

Keeping up his plan to pay more attention to Neal, Peter asked him how his night was in the hotel.

"I've had worse," Neal tried to leave it off at that. When Peter pushed, he provided a few more details. "Let's just say my new neighbors don't all know the meaning of quiet, because they were loud in their rooms, down the halls, and outside on the street all through the night. It was only quieter for the few hours between the drunks passing out and the early birds waking up." He yawned lightly but managed to keep the worst of his fatigue to himself.

Not envying Neal at all, Peter was also hiding his fatigue. He had spent most of the night fighting to keep dreams of the cases at bay, only to be plagued by images of Neal being guilty as the cell door slammed, turning out to be innocent only to hate him for his suspicion, and several other various scenarios in vague or vivid details, depending on how much his imagination had to work off of.

"At least you have easy cases to work on for the day." Unlike him, he had a big case to look forward to in tandem with the insurance company. Based on how difficult the family was reputed to be, it was likely to be a long day, so his fatigue would be tougher to endure.

"My biggest challenge will probably be keeping awake through the afternoon." The challenge of finding more information about his cases wasn't brought up. He either couldn't use his full abilities without the risk of revealing them, or there was nothing to be gained by using them. Maybe he would get a lucky chance to dig through the database unnoticed? It was hard finding means of gathering more information without causing any more suspicion.

"I'm sure there will be plenty of coffee flowing today," Peter didn't say why. Neal wasn't to be involved with his case, so he wasn't allowed to know the details pertaining to it either.

Knowing their conversation was going to die if he stayed on the current subject, Neal changed the discussion to weather. It was a safe topic and it kept the conversation flowing for the first time in weeks.

Understanding what Neal was doing, Peter went along with the conversation and kept his side up until they reached the office.

Having learned his share of random statistics and odd weather facts, Peter was relieved Neal was such a conversationalist. The weather usually proved to be a rather dull conversation topic, but Neal made it interesting and educational once he got going into a stride.

Reaching their floor, they parted ways at Neal's desk again. Peter went to work with the team to prepare for their meeting, and Neal got his things going for the day.

Having brought coffee with him in a thermos, Neal avoided the sludgy coffee of the office, but he still had to deal with the eyes staring at him.

"What happened to the fancy suits?" One of the agents sneered. Smith had never liked Neal, but his situation of unpopularity seemed to make the agent feel more justified in his feelings.

Refusing to rise to his bait, Neal didn't respond in the hopes of the agent moving on.

"Can't answer a simple question? Don't try to deny it, Caffrey, we all know you were evicted and had to leave them behind," Smith jeered. Apparently, he felt it was a good time to hold Neal's misfortune over him.

Continuing to ignore him, Neal kept his head down and worked on the first case file of the day.

"Answer me, Neal," Smith got a little louder.

Intervening as agent Smith wasn't acting appropriately, Jones and Diana approached to see what was wrong.

"Is there a problem over here?" Diana asked in a tone indicating there had better not be.

"I could hear you all the way up in the conference room," Jones commented.

"Nothing, I just don't like to be ignored," Smith grated before walking away.

"Why are you trying to cause so much trouble?" Diana asked. "Isn't everything else enough?" She ground out.

Looking up quietly, Neal didn't have much to say. "I don't rise to bait intended to humiliate me. As for causing trouble, it just manages to find me, no matter what I do."

"Hey, he did have a good question though. Why didn't you keep the suits? I understood June had given them for you to own." Jones asked curiously.

Raising a brow like it was obvious, Neal explained. "I'm already being accused of robbing her as it is. Why would I want to add to that?"

Seeing his point, Jones and Diana didn't have much to say. Pausing to observe Neal for a moment, they also notice how he had his mask of polite professionalism even more firmly in place.

"Are you going to tell us what is going on?" Diana asked.

"Once I figure it out, I will be happy to share. So far, there are more holes than facts though, so I'm not going to be of any help." He responded in a simpler form than he had with Peter.

"Last time you asked us for help, why is this time so different?" Jones asked.

Feeling like he was having the conversation again, Neal continued to respond much as he had with Peter. "Having already been through this with Peter, I didn't come to you until I could prove my innocence, because no one would trust me over the evidence, even though it was falsified evidence. Once again, I'm in a similar position, so I am researching to figure what is going on before I expect anything different."

Having a similar reaction to how Peter handled it, Jones and Diana weren't thrilled.

With her expression indicating a coming storm about to blow, Diana was rearing up for a telling off while Jones just got a disappointed expression.

"Before you let me have it, remember that I already told you everything I know to no avail. Why should I waste my breath telling you the same details when you continue to think I'm lying? I'm going to figure out what is going on. Then we'll see how things go from there." He ended the conversation by dismissing the topic.

"Neal…" Diana still wanted to blow, but she was having a tougher time figuring out what to say. "Why do you have to complicate things so much?" She blew out in a huff.

Sighing, Neal wasn't very empathetic. "Life is complicated."

Tired of beating her head into a brick wall, Diana walked away to resume her work for the day. She vented her frustrations on some unfortunate folders she had to arrange.

Having observed the lack of progress made by Peter and Diana, Jones knew he wasn't going to get far with Neal. The man had erected several walls between himself and the team in response to the walls they had built first.

"You know we want to find the truth in the cases, Neal. Whether you turn out to be guilty or not, we will pursue the results regardless." It ended up being more of a promise than anything. Whether it could be received as comforting or threatening depended on Neal's guilt.

"Good. Because either the evidence is set to frame me, or I won't be at the end of the inquiry findings." Neal looked up to stare him in the eyes as he stated his piece. Then he dismissed the agent. "If you are going to continue to rehash conversations that have already been had, then I need to focus on my paperwork."

Feeling his own pang in the gut, Jones wondered why he was suddenly so eager to do boring paperwork. Neal usually looked for distractions and excuses to get out of it. Although he couldn't put his finger on it, he also knew that something was wrong where Neal was concerned.

After a moment of observation, Jones also moved back to his own work. The mystery wasn't going to be solved so easily. Nothing concerning Neal ever was.

Meanwhile, back at his desk, Neal loosened his shoulders. He liked Jones and Diana, considered them friends even, but it was awkward having them looming over his desk. They obviously thought he was guilty, so their relationships had also regressed back to suspicious cops and the polite con.

For an hour or two, Neal got to work relatively quiet as the office ran around getting their work together and left him alone.

The situation gave him a chance to check the official channels. Sneaking a peek at the database, he saw what had transpired with the investigation at the docks on the treasure situation, in addition to a glance if there had been anything new posted for June's investigation. With all of the papers being printed and the mixed teams going everywhere, it was easy for him to print the few new details that had shown up in the system without anyone noticing.

Scanning his finds, Neal hadn't garnered much. Basically, the warehouse now had schematics for him to play with and June's had the paint being submitted for testing. Nothing too big, but at least it was progress.

Shuffling the documents aside, he put them in his jacket pocket where it would be easy to transport them home unnoticed. Sure, Peter and the others knew he was doing his own investigation, but he didn't want to raise questions, or cause wrong assumptions, by flashing the data he had to the rest of the team.

Having accomplished his personal mission, he could easily focus on the dull case files for the rest of the day, unless something else came up.

Going back to his official workload, Neal had only picked the next file up when he noticed Sara entering the office. Interested, he pretended to be waiting for some search results so he could generally observe what was going on. Although he wasn't allowed to work the case that had everyone else occupied, the secrets and mystery had him curious.

The first thing he noticed was the absence of anyone following Sara in. For all of her talk about the family being so hard to work with, which was why she was bringing them into the more serious environment, she seemed to have failed to keep them in line when she finally had her chance. He didn't mean to criticize her, it was simply an observation, but failure wasn't a normal trait in Sara's vocabulary. Something obviously went wrong to delay their meeting.

Breathing out in sheer frustration as she walked back by, Sara didn't even spare Neal a glance as she fumed out of the room on her phone.

Smirking lightly, Neal didn't envy whoever was going to be on the receiving end of her wrath. He had seen it before, and it wasn't a pretty place to be. Then again, he was still swimming around in the pool of her scathing furry, so he definitely knew it wasn't somewhere to end up on purpose.

Relived at the prospect of the drama had passed for the day, Neal stopped pretending and actually got back to work.

When he had gotten through most of the next case, Neal decided to grab another file from the records in order to get some more information.

Walking over to the area where the records were kept, he went looking for the file in question.

While he was back behind the shelving units, there was the ding of the elevator and a collection of noise as Sara returned with her group of people. As expected, she had found a way to get them into the office, even if it was later than originally planned.

Having gotten the information he was looking for, Neal moved to go back to his desk. The action served a double purpose. It would allow him to see who the case involved while getting him back to his desk for work.

"Bryce? Why don't you take care of this since you are here?" The youngest man in the group asked.

Choking on air, Neal had no idea what to do with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, leaving kudos, choosing to favorite, and following :D
> 
> Alrighty, we were supposed to get a rental truck for my brother's birthday gift and then a trip to enjoy it, but flooding, unfortunately, took out the rental fleet so we shortened our trip and will take a truck out closer to home another weekend next month if we can. Since I'm home until Tuesday morning when trip two starts, I decided to post tonight and respond to anything tomorrow while I'm home. Then, my next post will be either on Sunday night or Monday night after work depending on what's going on. I hope you enjoy this chapter and look forward to hearing from you :D


	8. Excuse Me

*******

"Excuse me?" Neal asked while he began trying to regain his breath. He had no idea who the group was going to be, but he certainly hadn't been expecting his family. Looking them over, he was surprised how they could both change so much, and yet so little over the years.

His father was the same. Richard Larkin was sixty, but he didn't look it. He took advantage of modern remedies such a dye for graying hair, trending styles to keep up with the times, and a skin care regiment that kept him tan and minimized the appearance of wrinkles. Vanity was the beginning and end of the man's concerns. If you didn't have wealth, societal standing, and good looks, then you weren't worth wasting his time on if he could help it. For those commoners he had to associate with, he kept up the basics of societal pleasantries while making it obvious he was of a higher class.

Moving on to his elder brother, Neal could see he had only continued to grow like their father.

Wyatt had obviously preened in the mirror before coming to ensure his looks were the best possible, while his attitude to the 'common' people around him was just as demeaning as Richard's was. Since Wyatt was the eldest son, and therefore primary heir, he had been raised by their father as his main companion to prepare him for someday taking on his role as the leader of their company. Spending so much time around his father meant he had also inherited all of his vanities on top of the similar appearances of dark hair and blue eyes.

Observing the speaker, Neal looked at his little brother. In appearance, Felix was the odd man of the family with his brown hair and eyes characteristic of their mother. As far as his attitude went, he wasn't as bad as the other two, which generally made him tolerable, but he had made the awful habit of thinking himself ill when he wanted attention. Being the youngest, their father overlooked him nearly as much as he had Bryce and their mother had died when he was young. For those reasons, Felix often looked to Bryce to handle things or pay attention when he was looking for someone to care for him.

Turning to the last man present, Neal noticed they had brought the family lawyer along with them.

Arthur Kendrick was a shorter man than the general family. He was roughly in his late forties, but he mostly showed his age in the slight gray in his scruff of a beard as his short brown hair was parted to the side and swept back. The man wasn't exactly what you would expect for a high dollar lawyer as his glasses and the dark blue suit didn't quite fit the usual appearance, but he had passed muster with Richard Larkin which was enough.

It only took Neal a moment to make the observations of who he had to address, figuring out what to do with the situation was going to take longer.

"Come on Bryce, you always handle it when anything seems to be going wrong. Why can't you handle this? Felix whined again.

"You must have me mistaken for someone else," Neal tried to distance himself.

Ignoring Neal's comment, Richard was indignant. "Why should we depend on Bryce to handle this situation? That is why we brought Kendrick."

"Bryce wouldn't know what to do anyway. He went and got himself degrees in computer engineering and accounting from Stanford, he doesn't know anything about such things as art forgeries," Wyatt sniffed.

Perking up, Neal had finally gotten his hint as to what the case was about. Based on Wyatt's comment, he assumed the family's art was having trouble passing authenticity testing for some reason. Why was the family getting the art authenticated again anyway?

"Come on Bryce, at least check on the case. I want to get this over with so we can go home. It is embarrassing having to be called into the FBI's offices like we are petty criminals." And there was the reminder that Felix had learned some of their father's attitude.

Sighing, Neal was stuck between a rock and a hard place. His little brother always had a knack for getting his protective side up, and his puppy dog expression usually had him doing whatever he was asked, but he couldn't give in this time. There was something more important to do.

"As I said, I believe you have me confused for someone else. My name is Neal Caffrey, and I am a CI here." He created a bit of a distance by admitting himself to be lower than an agent. Fortunately, the ploy worked as most of the group turned up their noses in a show that he was beneath them, not like he wouldn't have been as Bryce, but he was even more so as some petty government employee.

Glancing at Neal suspiciously, Peter gave him a look saying he had better not try anything.

Trying to play as innocent as possible, Neal only made him more suspicious with the effort. Sighing inwardly, Neal wished someone had managed to give him a heads up before this had to become so awkward.

Not helping Neal at all, Felix continued to push for as much help as they could get. "Why can't you help with the case then if you are a part of the team? We need to figure out what is going on here, and you are obviously looking in the wrong direction by thinking we actually had anything to do with forging our own art collection."

At least his comment functioned to further enlighten Neal. The family was being suspected of forging their collection and then selling them twice for double the profit. Felix was right at least, the family didn't have the knowledge, connections, or the lack of pride to commit the crime. In fact, their pride was a big reason they wouldn't, because it would bring the authenticity of everything they owned into question. Obviously, the case was another situation of someone taking advantage of an opportunity, while the FBI followed the most likely trail until the evidence took them in the right direction.

Thinking through the situation, Neal thought he could help if he was given the chance to assist on the case. He already knew the family, staff, house, and grounds as he had grown up on the family's estate. There was only the task of catching up on the last decade since he had been away to figure out how the case was to be solved…

Growing increasingly curious as to why the family would mistake Neal for one of their own, the entire office was watching intently.

"How could some… criminal informant, be of any help to the case?" asked Kendrick. The lawyer knew what the term meant, but he obviously had no idea what he was capable of doing.

"Caffrey has been convicted of bond forgery, but he is also suspected of several other crimes including thefts and forgeries. He is serving the rest of his prison sentence by assisting us in catching other criminals and making use of his inside knowledge," Peter explained generally. Neal could tell he was avoiding going into detail about the latest cases he was suspected in and neglected to mention the chance he would soon be returning to jail for them.

Although most of the family didn't like the idea, and Kendrick seemed to be distrusting so he advised against it, Felix whined enough to get his way. Neal was brought on to consult for the case in the hopes of getting it solved quickly.

Pulling Neal aside while Sara led the family and their lawyer up to the conference room, Peter gave him a warning. "Neal, I hope you don't have any plans for this. We were keeping you away from this case for a reason."

Throwing up another layer of defense, Neal kept his face void of the emotions churning up inside of him. "I can assure you, I have no intention of taking advantage of this family, but considering everything else, I also know you will be watching me like a hawk to ensure I am not up to any 'funny business.' How about we get to work on this case so we can all get back to normal?"

"Neal…" Peter was part growling and part sighing in response to the new level of defense.

"No, Peter," Neal answered back seriously. "Don't 'Neal' me and expect me to suddenly melt back like some guilty child who has been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. I haven't committed either of the crimes you accuse me of, and I will not do anything to them. We both know you won't trust me, so you might as well get your security measures in place." He wasn't backing down or revealing anything. There was too much at stake.

"Fine, but you will remain with me or one of the team at all times, and no contact with the family on your own." Then he added as an afterthought. "Do you have any idea why they think you are this Bryce person?" Watching Neal closely, he tried to observe his reaction.

Knowing full well what the answer was, Neal couldn't share it with Peter… or anyone really. "I don't know. Maybe I look like the person?" At least he hinted to the initial reason. As for why Felix would pick him out of a crowd; that was a good question. The man didn't pay any more attention to him than the others unless he needed something.

Sensing there was more to the situation that Neal was hiding, Peter frowned at him. Knowing Neal wouldn't divulge why he was hiding something, Peter chose to pay close attention to him over the course of the case. He would pull Neal in a heartbeat if he suspected the con might be running a game on them.

Turning to walk away from Peter, Neal quickly found himself confronted by his next group. Jones and Diana were waiting to pick up where Peter had left off.

"Why didn't you try to find a way of getting out of the case?" Diana asked.

"Maybe I am bored with mortgage fraud and curious about this mystery case everyone else is working. Forged paintings are certainly more interesting." Neal seemed to quip playfully. It was an element of the truth, but his attitude was meant to get a reaction.

"If the youngest one didn't whine so much to get you involved… I would almost say you know him." She suddenly got a jolt of intuition.

Frustrated that he had to work with such intelligent agents, Neal didn't like how quickly she figured it out. "He doesn't know me, and I don't know much of anything about him beyond the society papers." It was mostly the truth. Felix had no idea who he had become, and he had long since lost touch with the family.

Wearing a suspicious expression with her eyes squinted and lips slightly pursed, Diana stared at him for a moment. "I'm not buying it. He is obviously confused, but I am going to do some digging to see if I can find a link between you and him. If I do…" She left the sentence handing menacingly.

"There is no connection between Neal Caffrey and Felix Larkin," Neal could honestly say.

"We'll see about that," Diana said before she took off to take notes for her later investigation. This was obviously something she would have to fit in between the rest of her work on the case.

Since Peter had also left, Jones was the only one still standing there. He had his disappointed look again. It seemed to be his standard expression for Neal when he wasn't being the cop with the con like he had back in the early days. Sure, he wasn't hostile, but he wasn't as friendly this time around either. Instead, he simply kept his distance.

"You aren't beings straight with us Neal, and we all know it. We will figure out what is going on here and then we will handle the situation accordingly." He watched how Neal didn't seem to be affected by his comment. "This case has pushed a button with you, and we're going to figure out why." Making his observation, Jones also walked away.

Finally left to stand alone in the main area of the offices, Neal took a moment to gather his wits about him. This situation was going to be a sticky tight rope to walk, and there was any number of things that could go wrong at any time.

Pulling out his phone, it was a good idea to give notice as to the change in circumstances. No one else was going to like this either, but it couldn't be helped.

Typing into his phone and sending the message, it only took a moment for the first response to come back to him.

Relieved, he was glad to learn that a meeting was being arranged to discuss the new circumstances. At least he would have some assistance in planning how to further handle it. Depending on how things proceeded, they might be able to wrap things up quicker than originally thought. Getting the beginning of a plan, he shelved it until later when it could be worked into a more organized idea.

Getting a real smile for the first time in weeks, he felt that maybe things would be looking up.

Walking up to the conference room, he took his seat to the far back and settled in to get caught up on what was involved with the case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, choosing to favorite, following, and leaving kudus :D  
> I'm back and posting will now resume normal function until October, as far as I know ;)


	9. Painting Problems

*******

Listening as the case was covered in general, Neal caught up on what had been transpiring.

In the past, his father had managed to keep up with his bills as the financial income from the family's company was extensive enough to cover even his lavish tastes. However, something had changed in the finances causing the bills to start piling up.

Endeavoring to regain control over the growing debt, Richard had been forced to look into additional revenue, so he had made the regretful decision to begin selling off some of the art their family had collected over the generations.

Since Bryce was the least favored of his sons, it was his favorite picture that was placed up for sale first.

Feeling a sense of loss, Neal wasn't happy to hear of his favorite painting being placed up for sale. Then he got the idea of purchasing it through a proxy. His family would get the financial assistance they were looking for, and he wouldn't have to worry about his favorite painting being sold again. Adding to the plans running through his head, Neal continued to listen to see what else had been going on.

Placing the painting up for auction, the Larkin family worked with a seller who then ran a routine authentication check to ensure the painting was original. Unfortunately, the painting failed the tests and was flagged as a fake.

In response, the situation was reported to the FBI, the family had been placed under suspicion, and the whole case had begun to spiral out from there.

With the general information, Neal focused on finding the causes that sparked the problem.

When his turn to talk came, he shared his suggestions. "The problem started when Larkin Industries stopped providing the financial profits to cover your expenses. Since the company is heavily invested in manufacturing anything from name brand clothing to technology for government contracts, the sales have remained steady and there is no reason to believe the income has reduced by such a significant amount. Something has gone wrong with the finances, so I would start by investigating to see if there is something like embezzling going on."

"You aren't supposed to be analyzing my company. The point of this case is to investigate the forged painting," Richard announced. He didn't like a criminal telling him he wasn't managing his business properly.

Having grown up with such treatment, Neal held his ground. "It is the FBI's job to discover the full extent of the situation and catch whoever is guilty of forging the painting. I don't know if the finances of the company are connected or not, but I do know it sounds like something is going on there as well." His accounting mind was already running the general public information against the results he was seeing, and he knew full well that there was definitely something to be investigated there.

"Neal," Peter gave him a look saying to leave the company's finances alone for the moment. Like Richard had said, it had nothing to do with the case they were investigating.

Tucking the information away to himself, Neal decided to wait before pushing for the investigation again. Redirecting the conversation back to the painting as he was being ordered to, he focused on what was obviously wrong there. "I agree with Felix in saying they have nothing to do with forging the painting. First, they have a strong pride in keeping their social status and forging paintings would ruin their standing very quickly. Second, they don't have the connections to have the job done for them. Third, there is less risk for them to simply sell the image than there is in trying to commit the crime. Fourth, they don't go for taking risks as thrill-seekers. Have you seen the vacations they take? A cruise through the Mediterranean is exotic, but not the riskiest venture."

Seeing several faces around the table frowning, he needed more of a factually based reasoning for their innocence. "However, I can easily see someone else taking advantage of the opportunity. There have been several cases of curators doing switches to sell the original on the black market while their clients have pretty fakes hanging on their walls." He shrugged, "They have the position to determine the authenticity of the paintings for the family, they have virtually unrestricted access, and they are often left unobserved with the paintings for long periods of time which provides a prime opportunity to create the forgeries."

Nodding that he had given them a likely place to start, Peter started to ask the family questions. "Do you have a curator tending to the paintings?"

"Yes, but Kendrick here tends to most of the details." Richard directed the conversation to the family lawyer.

Taking over, Kendrick answered the question. "The curator has unrestricted access to the paintings, but she generally only checks on them once a week. She works with several other clients, so she only keeps up with the basics of monitoring them most of the time. Once a year she works through rounds to clean and maintain all of the items in the Larkin collection."

Sara brought up one of the questions she had for the family. "When have the pieces been authenticated?"

Continuing to lead the conversation, Kendrick answered. "The family had each piece evaluated before making the purchases. Then Sterling and Bosch required each piece to be authenticated before they would insure them. Otherwise, they have been under the care of the curator and no further authentication has been necessary."

The teams continued to run through their questions, but Neal began to zone them out until they were background information. He was more focused on looking through the financial information for the family to see where their money was going. Flipping through the pages steadily, he watched as the family fortune went the way that it usually did.

As usual, Richard focused on beauty treatments to keep up his youthful appearance, lavish parties to entertain his friends and clients, the current fashions to keep in trend, and the occasional trip like a cruise through the Mediterranean. There was no significant change to explain why he was no longer keeping up with his bills.

Turning to Wyatt's spending. Neal saw his usual spending with only one addition. His older brother also enjoyed taking part in the lavish parties, exotic trips, and trending styles, but he had picked up a romance. He appeared to have a steady girlfriend he was focusing on because his purchases had changed from less expensive flirtation pieces to more expensive wooing pieces. Although his expenses had increased, he wasn't particularly overspending to be causing the growing debt either.

Having been given his inheritance upon graduation and his leaving the house, Neal hadn't been a part of the family's finances in years as he was completely independent. The only things he still had invested in them were their blood bond that would never change, and his personal possessions remaining in his old bedroom in case he should ever visit. His leaving should have brought slight relief to the finances as he wasn't generally involved in the lavish spending any more than required for the sake of the appearance his father held so dear.

Taking a last look at Felix, he also shouldn't have been causing a burden. Since his younger brother had gotten married and moved to his wife's family estate down the road, he had also been given his inheritance and financial independence. Although Felix had been more inclined to participate in the spending, he was often left out for either being younger and therefore busy in school or simply because he was forgotten in the rush of self-gratification as the others sought their own pleasures. It was sad how easily Richard and Wyatt could leave the other two family members behind while they went on pleasure trips.

Having completed going through the family's finances, Neal knew there was definitely something wrong with the business finances. They weren't spending any significant amount more than usual, but the debts were still climbing.

Pulling out his phone, he started to text again, but this time to another person. Sending the message, he had two requests for the man to work out. One was to send him the business financials for Larkin Industries so he could pull the information for his own investigation. The second was to arrange for a proxy purchase of his favorite painting once the case was figured out.

Having done his personal digging as far as possible, Neal focused back into the conversations flowing around him.

"I would hate to think our curator might have done the forgery. She came so highly recommended and has been handling them for us and all of our friends." Getting a fearful expression, Richard suddenly realized he had also recommended her to several of those friends.

Stepping into the conversation, Neal tried to calm the situation down before it continued to escalate any further. "The curator is only a potential suspect. There are other possibilities to be considered here too."

"Like what?" Peter asked.

"The businesses finances seem funny too." While everyone's eyes rolled and the glares started, Neal had more facts to back his suspicion. "I just went through all of their personal finances and nothing has really changed minus two sons gaining independence and one getting a steady girlfriend instead of various flirts. There is no reason for them to be accruing such debts to need to sell the paintings in the first place, except that their income has changed. Although several industries have suffered hits with the recent market shifts, there is still the need for government contracts to be filled and products to be manufactured, so why has that changed so drastically?"

"How do you know their personal finances haven't changed?" Was brought up.

Recognizing his slip, Neal knew he had just increased the odds of the team suspecting him of trying to pull something off. Despite the truth, he had to allow them to believe something else for the time being. "They are a high society family and I have a history as being a con man."

"You studied them once upon a time, didn't you?" Sara was showing her suspicion of him again.

Unable to tell them he had grown up as one of them, so he knew firsthand what they did, he didn't respond to avoid lying while leaving them to their own conclusions.

"Seriously, Neal?" Peter was getting upset too. "My office, now!"

Getting up to follow him quietly, Neal slid the financials he had filled with notes over to Diana.

Closing the door behind them, Peter turned to Neal in a fury. "That is exactly why I didn't want to have you on this case. You have studied them for a con in the past, and are now getting close to them. If I so much as suspect you to be pulling a con through this case, I can assure you that I will put you back in prison."

Putting up another wall of distance in between them, Neal pushed Peter further away. "I never said I studied them for a con, and I promised not to take advantage of them."

Pacing the distance of the office, Peter tried to walk off some of his frustration. "You didn't deny it either. Tell me the truth, how do you know so much about their finances in order to know what has changed over the years?"

Facing Peter and looking him in the eyes as he paused in his pacing, Neal told him the truth, "I can't tell you."

Seeing that he was being honest, but not fathoming why, Peter glared at him. "Why not? What possible reason could you have that you can't share unless it is because it relates to a crime?"

Flinching at Peter's lack of trust, Neal tried to hide his reaction. "You will never fathom what the reason is, but it exists, and is not a criminal reason."

Having caught the flinch, despite Neal's efforts, Peter paused in his anger. "Are you ever going to tell me what your reason is?"

Dropping his voice, Neal hid how heavy the weight was on his shoulders. "I don't know if I will ever be allowed to. You have no idea how much I would love to tell you though."

Feeling in his gut instinct that Neal had just shared more than he was supposed to, Peter decided to step back and observe the situation further. There were questions floating through his mind, but he could see that Neal wasn't going to answer him.

"I suggest you behave through this case. There is a lot at risk and you are already walking a thin line," he warned.

"You have no idea," Neal said before they walked back over to the conference room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, and leaving kudos :D


	10. Accusations and an old Friend

*******

Settling back into the conference room, Neal observed how the team was reacting to him. Most were generally ignoring him as they had work to do, but the ones who were closer to him watched to see how Peter was handling whatever had transpired in the other room.

Having regained his general composure, Peter took his seat and organized the teams to begin new avenues of investigation. He called for a few agents to pay attention to the company's finances since it seemed to be so important to Neal as the ultimate cause behind the trouble, then he had the rest of the agents divide out to investigate the painting and to look into the curator in the hopes of unlocking the mystery of how the painting had been forged.

Wrapping up the details, most of the teams began to move away as they either went to lunch or moved to get started on their assignments, while the Larkins were quick to be out the door as they wished to return to their apartment in the city.

Moving to return to his desk until he was requested, Neal was halted.

"Sit, Neal," Peter ordered.

Obeying the command, Neal resettled himself into his seat. Facing the group, he noticed it contained Sara, Peter, Jones, Diana, and Hughes.

"I'm going to try this again. What are you doing?" Peter asked.

"Trying to find who stole the treasure, who robbed June, and what is going on with the Larkin family." He answered honestly.

Frowning as the others had done, Sara and Hughes weren't sure what to think of his answer.

"How are you researching these cases?" Peter continued to inquire.

"My hotel room has a timeline for the treasure along one wall with everything I know, and I continue to add anything I learn to it. A second wall has everything I know about June's case for the same form of investigation. Considering I now know about the Larkin case, I assume it can take up the third wall." He smirked lightly. They wouldn't like his appearance of humor, so it was a good way to push them a little further away.

"You do know the hotel will charge us for any holes you put in the walls." Peter wasn't happy to hear how he was using his space.

"No, they won't. Each wall was already full of holes where people had punched them, mold is all over the place, and what little paint is on the walls is peeling. There is no reason for them to even notice, let alone have a problem with it." Neal defended himself.

Disliking his treatment of the space, but not being able to argue with his reasoning, Peter didn't have much to say in response. "Still, you shouldn't pin things up in a room that doesn't belong to you without permission."

"Why are you being so difficult in all of this?" Hughes asked. The man was frustrated that their CI seemed to be causing so many complications.

"The question could also be asked as to why everyone is so suspicious of me, but I already know you will simply remark on my being a con and therefore untrustworthy, so there is no point in asking it." Neal postponed answering the question.

"Neal, answer me," Hughes ordered.

"I cannot without breaking obligations I have made to others, therefore I will not be answering any questions pertaining to that line of inquiry," Neal answered.

Reaching the limit of their patience, the entire group was tired of battling with him.

"Go back to your desk Neal. There is still a pile of mortgage fraud cases waiting for your attention." Peter dismissed him.

"They will be completed before the end of the day," Neal promised before getting up and heading down to his desk.

Picking his file back up, he worked to get back into the zone he had been focused on before the distraction of his family's arrival.

Ignoring the office again as they continued to either leave for lunch or buzz around with their work, he seemingly had nothing on his mind but the file lying open before him. Unbeknownst to them though, his mind was flooded with several things at the same time. There were the cases, his upcoming meeting, and his endeavor to keep his secret from the office. Although he hadn't slipped anything to severe, it would serve him well to create even more distance between himself and his friends to help remove the risk of doing more damage to the situation. He had a great deal at stake if he should fail, so it was imperative he should succeed in his endeavor.

Eventually, he remembered to retrieve his lunch and once again spent the meal alone at his desk. The difference was that he didn't stop to take a technical lunch break. Instead, he continued to work through his meal in an effort to get his allotment done for the day.

When the second meeting broke up, Peter and the others also returned to their more typical routines. Sara left for her offices, and the agents returned to their desk to work through lunch while they did their investigations. It was only a slight distraction for Neal to feel so many pairs of eyes observe him as each of them went on their way. All of them continued to hold their suspicions against him.

Utilizing mental barriers to block the distraction, Neal worked to keep his focus on his task as there were still several files for him to go through, and he wanted to spend his evening working on his own cases instead of the ones before him. If he wanted to keep his word as well as achieve his own goal of progress on the other cases, then he needed to work diligently in order to accomplish it all.

Passing through the hours of the afternoon, there wasn't much socializing as the general team worked on their individual assignments and Neal remained focused on his own.

Finally, the end of the day came and most of the office was prompt in heading for home. However, Neal, Peter, Jones, Diana, and Hughes each remained at their desks for an hour past the rest of the team.

Hughes was the first one to turn out his light and lock up his office before bidding those remaining farewell and heading home. Jones was next and followed by Diana fairly soon after. Then Neal made the next move to head home.

Walking his files up to Peter, he laid them on his desk. "As promised, they are all completed." Then he turned and left the office while Peter quietly watched.

Riding the elevator car was a quiet and lonely ride again, but Neal continued to relish in the peace of being alone.

Exiting in the lobby, he walked out the front door and hit the streets before turning towards his destination.

It was a relatively short trip to the restaurant, but it was where he had arranged to meet his own personal lawyer. Jonathon Walker had been an old school friend reaching back into their days at the private boarding school and he was the man who ran Bryce's life.

Reflecting over their friendship as he walked, Neal knew the man wasn't as close to him as some of his other friends… two in particular, but he did play an important role in his life all the same.

While his father had been absorbed in such things as running the company and maintaining his status in society, his mother had focused on raising him with the assistance of his god-mother. Then when he was twelve his mother had fallen ill. She hadn't lived long after receiving the prognosis, but she had tried to ensure her sons were well taken care of by making arrangements with her dearest friend. After she passed, Richard had shipped him off to a private boarding school as soon as it could be arranged.

Feeling such a loss, Neal had been rather reserved during the first part of his stay. Then he had meant Jonathon and the two had become firm friends. Taking it upon himself, Jonathon had worked to make him more comfortable and had made the effort to help him find his own interests instead of simply focusing on the lesson plans his father had arranged.

It was a Jonathon that had introduced him to the world of computers and science fiction. Discovering a love of worlds beyond his own and the thrill of adventure, Neal had changed while he was away at school.

Returning home made him even more of an outcast as he had gained interests that were unknown in his family.

Arriving at the restaurant, he looked for the man he was meeting. Seeing him through the crowd, he noticed how his stern countenance relaxed into a friendly expression. When he wanted to keep people at bay, the man had a piercing stare and stern expression that did wonders, but he would occasionally lower the façade when he was in the presence of his friends. Being amongst the few who got to see the man behind the professional mask, Neal knew what he was like outside of the office.

"How is it going, Neal?" Jonathon questioned. He had brown hair with blond highlights and piercing gray eyes. Although he was a few years older than Neal, he didn't show it most of the time.

He was the only person in his personal life who knew the truth, so Neal was relieved to vent a little bit. "Now there is the risk I might impersonate myself in order to gain access to my family's dwindling fortune."

Laughing lightly, Jonathon tried to help him deal with his frustrations. "That is some kind of trick though. If you were really impersonating yourself, then there is no one better for it."

"Ha-ha. You didn't have to watch one of your closest friends accuse you of yet another crime you haven't committed." Burying his head in his hands for a moment, he let his face show the extent of his emotions while he was looking down at the table. "At least he didn't have the angry puppy eyes, but there was something about his disappointment that might be worse."

Taking pity, Jonathon distracted him with the information he had requested. "I'm sure your name will be cleared eventually, and the situation will be revealed at some point. Until then, I have the information you requested." Although he knew some vague details as to what was really going on, there was no way he could be of any assistance.

"You did? Did the information show what I expected?" Neal questioned as he was happy for the distraction.

"I am not an accountant like someone, but there does appear to be something going on in the company's finances. That is only the public information, as I couldn't get anything private without revealing your situation, but it should do a great deal to help you see if there is any changes or suspicious activity on the surface." Watching Neal flip through the preliminary details, he then added on as Neal seemed to notice how far he went back. "Since it is unknown when the alleged embezzling may have begun, I thought it was best to gather a larger amount of information than necessary… so it goes back twenty years."

"Thank you. The more information I have, the easier it will be to discover when things changed, and perhaps even get a feeling as to what or who may be the cause." Neal was thrilled with how well Jonathon had carried out his request.

Pleased to have been able to assist, Jonathon moved to distract Neal further by talking about what had been going on in his own life. Although he was a widower, the man still managed to keep himself busy with work, old friends, and an expansive knowledge of the comings and goings of several people to keep the conversation going all through their meal.

After they had finished eating, Jonathon walked him to the door of his car and proceeded to finish their conversation in the privacy of the street.

"You know you can call me anytime. Although there aren't many people you can talk to right now, my phone is always on." Then he patted Neal on the shoulder in a comforting and friendly gesture.

"Thank you again. You are a source of sanity through all of this. I know everything is taken care of, and I can call on you anytime to help me whether it is arranging for a job for a young runaway, or for gathering information for my private investigations…" He was ever grateful for having such a friend and ally.

"Take care of yourself. I have had to handle your supposed death and will enough times already, so I have no desire to do it again anytime soon. Goodnight." Jonathon climbed into his car as Neal walked off down the street.

Arriving back at the hotel room, Neal began to arrange the third case on the wall as expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, reviewing/commenting, and following :D


	11. Making Plans

*******

Getting ready for work, Neal turned his computer on while he ate his breakfast. Settling in at the table, he waited for the others to sign on.

When the individual screens came to life, Neal wasn't surprised to see the unhappy expression of General Beckman as the main one visible. She was the first one to link in and she had the most to say as far as he could tell. The others were smaller images around her in order to get their chances at participating.

"Everyone is here, so let's get started." Neal acknowledged.

"What have you come up with for a plan to handle this situation?" Beckman asked.

Beginning the basic outline, Neal shared what he had been working on. "The team is very suspicious of me and thinks that I not only stole the treasure and robbed June, but that I will also impersonate myself in order to gain access to my family's dwindling fortune. In response, I am thinking of a couple of things." He continued to break them down individually.

"First, there is the case of my family. It is best for me to learn what the cause of their situation is so they are taken out of the picture for their safety. To do so, I intend to take advantage of my brother's determination to have me present for the investigation. By being close, I hope to discover how the painting was forged, if anything else was targeted, and what is going on with the company's finances. Based on what has been targeted, I believe Kendrick is the most likely suspect. So far I have directed the team to look into him and the curator, but I don't believe the curator is likely to be involved unless coerced." Pausing for questions, he resumed his explanation. "My plan is to not only let the team think I might be impersonating myself but to encourage them. Since Kendrick is probably going to be a challenge to catch, I'm hoping that if they are focused on me impersonating myself, then Kendrick will see me as less of a threat and slip up somewhere. Besides, pretending to impersonate myself, without directly doing so, also works to further alienate the team which I hope will progress our other case."

"Second, there is the treasure. I'm fairly certain Alex Hunter is the most likely suspect as she is the only person with motive, skills, and who remains unaccounted for. Yesterday I got the schematics for the warehouse, so I have begun working out possible means for her having made access unnoticed. Although it is a rather vague case at best, I am working to find sure details." He was certain he was on the right track, but there was a lot left to do before he could prove his innocence.

"Third, I am working on June's theft case. Based on the vase having been authenticated when they purchased it, the theft happened sometime during her possession of it. Following the evidence, the house had decent security before I upgraded it and her staff has all been with her for several years. The security is not unbeatable, but I didn't see any signs of it having been circumvented in the past. That leaves the likely situation being one of her employees, a member of the family, or a guest at some point as the guilty party. Although it is going to be rather tricky to solve this from the outside, I do have my surveillance equipment to utilize for my personal knowledge." It would show him who was guilty, but he would need another method of proving it to the team.

"My biggest challenge is going to be solving these cases while remaining inconspicuous to the team." He finished up the plans he had devised.

"Have you made any progress on your original intent?" Beckman asked.

"Not exactly, but I do have one potential suspect remaining on my radar. He seems to be too young and doesn't appear to have a direct connection, but he might have gotten involved later than the original circumstances." Neal shared his name and the reasoning as to why he was being mentioned, despite there not being anything concrete against him.

"Are you sure you can accomplish all of this?" One of the others asked. The FBI wasn't feeling as trusting as Beckman was.

"Yes, sir. It may take a while, but I think the suspicion being directed at me will speed things up. As the team draws further away and I help to push them, it leaves me standing with the appearance of being alone and helpless. At some point in the near future, they will make their move and we will catch them."

Not entirely relieved, the group continued to question Neal further into the details of how he planned to pull the operation off. Working with Beckman, the two of them got the group together and made a more detailed plan of action.

Once the meeting was over, Neal signed off of his computer and cleaned up his breakfast dishes. Taking off for the office on foot, he knew the situation was only going to get worse before it got better.

*******

Reaching the twenty-first floor, Neal settled into his desk again and started into his pile of mortgage fraud cases for the day. His morning routine was becoming more of a habit as he adjusted to his new situation.

Listening to the conversations around him, he noticed there seemed to be mixed feelings amongst the team. Some of them thought he might be playing up the similarity to Bryce in order to get the family to work with them easier, but they obviously didn't know how little his input was regarded even when his family knew he was himself. Others assumed he was trying to get close to another wealthy family in order to victimize them. Finally, a limited few thought the whole thing might be circumstantial and they were all wrong in assuming he had any agenda at all.

Shaking his head, Neal knew it would be easy to turn the tide to believing he was impersonating Bryce. The seeds were already planted, so he just needed to water them a little bit…

Getting the double finger point, Neal knew he was being called to see what was going on with the case.

Climbing the stairs to the conference room and finding a seat in the back, Neal settled in to see what had been gathered overnight.

With the team collected, Peter began to fill them in. "Neal was right. The company still shows a high income, but less of it is being filtered into the Larkin finances. It looks like someone is embezzling from the business." He paused for Neal to gloat, even though he had a look saying he had better not, but Neal continued to focus on the information like he was ignoring Peter's presence beyond his speech. Surprised, Peter picked up the explanation again while feeling another ping that something was wrong. "Since the curator has no involvement with the company finances, she is no longer our primary suspect for the whole situation. Instead, she will be investigated on the chance she might be involved either solely or as an accomplice for forging the painting. That means we need to find a suspect for the embezzling and keep in mind that it might be connected to the forging as well."

Turning to draw Neal into the conversation, Peter asked for his take on the situation. "What do you think is going on Caffrey?"

Taking note of the use of his last name, Neal knew Peter was pushing him away as well. Although he still felt very disappointed, Peter was trying to prepare himself for any possible outcome.

"Well, there are a couple of possibilities. First, the person could have started with one and moved to the other crime as their greed got the better of them." He ignored the looks saying he would understand that drive first hand. "Second, they could be completely unrelated and there are two separate crimes hitting the family at the same time. Finally, there could be multiple suspects working together from different angles."

"Who do you think are the most likely suspects?" Peter pushed.

"Kendrick. He is heavily involved with the company from function to finances and he oversees the curator, so he is closely connected to both. Otherwise, there are several possibilities." Neal shared his theory honestly.

"So you point your finger at the only person you have met besides the family? Do you think we are actually going to fall for your misdirect?" Smith mumbled suspiciously.

"Smith, if you have something to share, then share it with everyone," Peter ordered.

"I think Caffrey is using Kendrick as a misdirect because he is the only person he is aware of besides the family." Smith raised his voice so everyone could hear.

"The butler is named Giles Parker." Neal threw in helpfully.

"Not helping Neal," Peter growled lightly. "Smith, we aren't going to investigate Kendrick simply because he is the person Neal pointed at. Rather, we are going to keep him in mind because he is a valid suspect with access to all of the areas in question."

Settling back, Smith decided to keep his opinions to himself.

Continuing to lead the rest of the meeting, Peter divided the new details out amongst the team and dismissed them.

"Neal, my office," he ordered again.

Following Peter, Neal knew he was about to be questioned on his knowledge of Giles. He couldn't explain the truth, but this would be a mix of carefully sharing more of his past with Peter, while also helping him to forward the belief he was working to impersonate himself.

Gesturing for Neal to sit, Peter closed the door before taking his own seat. "How do you know about the butler?"

"The same way I know everything else." Neal kept his answer simple.

Glaring at him, Peter wanted more of an answer.

Sighing, Neal hadn't realized just how hard it was going to be. He had the idea, but it was different actually sitting in the hot seat. "Peter… there are things in my past I can't talk about. Yes, I know more about the Larkins than you like, but I can't explain how."

Frowning further, Peter didn't like how these conversations kept spiraling around nothing. "You keep saying there is an obligation you have to keep, that you hope to be able to tell me what is going on, and now you say you can't talk about it… what is going on Neal? Alluding to things like this doesn't ease my concern at all."

Relieved, Neal was glad to know Peter was still worried about him, despite all of his anger and suspicion. "I also said I would love to tell you, but as I can't…"

Seeing the relief in Neal's eyes, Peter knew he was happy to see that he still cared about their friendship, which was a relief to him as well. If Neal still valued their friendship, then maybe things would work out in the long run… maybe. "Is someone threatening you?" He decided to narrow down the likely situation if he could.

"Not directly. There is always a threat, but no one is specifically threatening me." Neal answered cryptically.

Nodding, Peter assumed Neal always had a potential threat to face, but he was relieved there wasn't anything specific to worry about. "Is there anyone blackmailing your, or otherwise forcing you?"

Unable to tell him he was being directed in his actions, Neal only answered part of the intended point. "No one is blackmailing me and I'm acting on my own volition."

Looking like he was running out of valid ideas, Peter went silent and observed Neal.

"I told you, Peter. You will never fathom what is going on. If I am lucky, maybe someday you will know, but until then…" Neal looked down and away, but he once again revealed some of his internal emotions. As much as he needed to push Peter away for a time, he wanted to be able to repair their friendship later should the opportunity arise.

Seeing the look on Neal's face, Peter knew he was being honest and wanted to share what was going on. "Why is it so important for you to keep it secret then if you want to talk about it so badly?" He found himself questioning.

"Because, the reasoning behind my actions is important, but you are one of the best friends I have ever had," Neal answered.

Although he was only getting slight glimpses of the big picture, Peter added another case to his personal plate. He was going to question and observe Neal whenever possible, to see if he could decipher this secret. Being the archaeologist, he figured it was up to him to dig through Neal's half-answers, misdirection, and other evasive maneuvers to discover what was really going on.

With Neal moving forward with his plan and Peter beginning his own, the two were at odds with each other.

After realizing he had made as much progress as he was going to for this round, Peter dismissed Neal back to his workload.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, choosing to favorite, commenting/reviewing, and leaving kudos :D


	12. Packing

*******

Walking back down to his desk, Neal wasn't thrilled with how his meeting had gone, but there were still positive aspects to it. Sure, Peter wasn't as suspicious of him for the impersonation theory as he had intended to make him, but he was more aware of there being something else going on, which might ultimately help to save their friendship in the long run.

Settling in for the rest of the morning, Neal got comfortable at his desk and returned to working on his pile of mortgage frauds.

When lunchtime came around, Neal took a few minutes respite to go and collect his lunch from the break area before returning to his desk to eat. Since he was expected to help with the Larkin case and still manage to complete his load of files, Neal found it to be beneficial to work through his lunch break again.

As he was trashing the wrappings from his meal, Neal heard the elevator ping and watched as Sara made another trip into the office.

For some reason, she scowled at Neal on her way by and continued to march up to Peter's office where she collected him and went into Hughes' office.

Obviously, something had come up in relation to Neal, or something assumed to be associated with him, so Neal figured he would find out what was going on soon enough. Keeping his peripherals on the office door, he put most of his focus into his next file as there was still a lot of work for him to do.

After a while, Peter opened the door and gave him the double finger point to join their meeting.

Climbing the stairs a second time, Neal walked into the office calmly and stood to the side until directed. Following Hughes' gesture, he took the seat beside Sara and waited patiently to be filled in.

Unused to Neal being so compliant, the others looked a little more nervous about what they had to share.

"Neal, it has come to our attention that the Larkin family is hosting a large party tomorrow at their Connecticut estate. Since they and their full staff will be on hand along with several of their associates, we feel it will be a good time to do some investigating to see if we can discover anything pertaining to this case. As you are a part of the investigating team, and because Felix continues to insist that you must be Bryce playing a joke, you are to be accompanying the team for the weekend." Then he proceeded to detail a lengthy list of rules and regulations Neal was expected to follow. "Do you understand?" Hughes finished.

"Yes, sir. I'm simply a guest at Barnum Estate so I will be expected to treat the property with the utmost respect, keep a distance from the valuables, and not be in the presence of the family without being accompanied by a person from the team. Your instructions are perfectly clear." Neal acted like he was an indifferent professional with no friendly relations to them at all.

"I didn't tell you what the name of the estate is," Hughes pointed out.

"You said the Connecticut estate, and Barnum is the name of said property." Neal pointed out the facts and how easy they were to connect.

"Just behave," Hughes dismissed him. The agent was glad he wasn't going to be responsible for the CI on the trip. Caffrey was Peter's headache to bear.

Before Neal was dismissed, Peter gave his instructions. "Be packed and ready to go by eight tomorrow morning as I will be by to pick you up. Have a tux ready for the party."

Understanding his dismissal, Neal got up and quietly went back to his desk without a smile, comment, or glimmer of excitement.

Exchanging glances behind his back, Peter and the others all took note of how Neal wasn't acting anything like his usual self.

As he returned to his desk, Neal problem solved how he could complete his caseload while also getting a tux, arranging his packing, and working on his personal cases all into the rest of the day. Coming up with a plan, he decided to take advantage of Jonathon's continued presence in the city.

Texting him, Neal requested him to get a tux and leave it at his hotel's front desk. Receiving assurance that the task would be completed, Neal sent back a thank you before putting his phone away. A quick mental packing list later and he was ready to focus on his caseload.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly enough, despite the boredom. There were plenty of files to complete and the rest of the team generally left him alone because they were occupied with completing their own workload before the end of the day.

Although Sara had left hours before, Neal still took precautions in walking up to Peter's office so he didn't disturb the agent in his meeting with Hughes. They had been working in their offices all afternoon, but Peter was making some last arrangements with the boss before calling it a day.

Having successfully snuck the files up to Peter's office, Neal walked out without any questions or suspicious glances. Reaching the elevator, he was dismayed to see Smith also leaving at the same time.

"So, you think you are going to be enjoying a swanky party for the weekend and staying in a lavish mansion? Just to let you know, it is still work and they know you are a con, so don't get any bright ideas," the agent sneered.

Observing the agent through the reflection, Neal didn't rise to his bait. Instead, he watched to see if the agent had any identifying marks or if he would slip anything about why he hated Neal so passionately.

"Someday you won't be walking around so freely, Neal. You will be caught for your crimes and return to jail. Then you won't be protected by Burke anymore," he seemed to threaten.

Feeling that his instincts about the agent were correct, Neal suspected he was hiding secrets of his own. Perhaps if the agent got more times alone with him as he seemed to become more vulnerable…

Reaching the lobby, Neal exited to walk out the main doors and toward the street. Smith took a different route to head for where his car was parked.

Neal pulled out his phone to text Beckman while he walked towards the hotel. He informed her of the conversation from the elevator and updated her on his plans for the weekend. Then he waited for her to respond.

When she did get around to contacting him, she confirmed his suspicions with points validating them. Agent Smith did have connections to some of his case suspects. Then there was also his reputation for being troublesome, which meant he could have been involved with the circumstances that had caused his situation. Adding his voice to the records, she had a file started for building a profile on the man. If he was guilty and any evidence came up to prove it, no one wanted him to get away.

Having completed his other professional responsibilities for the night, Neal grabbed his dinner on his way home and his tux from the front desk.

Juggling his load as he unlocked the door to his room, he managed to keep everything balanced and entered safely.

Hanging up the suit and placing his food on the table, he decided to eat while his meal was hot. Packing wouldn't take him long as he had already planned on what to include.

Starting up his laptop, Neal accessed the remote server where he kept his security logs. Every minute of records he had compiled since being at June's mansion were there, so it gave him something to work through for the evening. Watching the footage for a while, he worked on his meal while making some progress in his investigation. Jotting down notes, he started collecting any patterns visible from the camera.

Eventually, he finished his meal and paused the feed.

Taking the short break to pack, he pulled his duffel back out and folded his basic clothing into it. Since his suits were designed to be wrinkle-resistant, he also folded a few of them up for the weekend. With everything but his necessary toiletries packed for the main bag, he set it next to the door but left it open. He could slip his last few items in the after he had used them the next morning. Then he hung the tux up above the duffel and laid his computer bag on the table where he could pack the laptop up once he was finished with it.

Completing most of his packing, Neal returned to the feed and played it again. He had nothing else to do but watch it and get ready for bed when the time came.

*******

Pulling into his driveway, Peter was relieved to be home for the evening, but sad he was going away for the weekend.

Climbing out of his car and walking up to the house, he thought about how Neal had been acting lately. The con typically used everything to his advantage and tried very hard to get as much as he could from every opportunity. Why was he suddenly sitting back quietly and taking everything in stride? Was he trying to impersonate Bryce who seemed to have a more compliant personality, or was he being reserved because he was angry with the team? Peter had no idea what the answer was.

"Hon?" He called out for Elizabeth as he entered the house and put his things away.

"In the kitchen," she called back from where she was preparing dinner. "How was your day?"

Sighing, Peter made his way towards her voice, "complicated."

"What did Neal do now?" She got to the heart of the issue.

"It's not so much what he did, as what he might do, or be doing." He paused to kiss her in greeting. "The Larkin family is throwing a party this weekend and the team is going to their Connecticut estate. We are going to work on our investigation while they are home with their full staff and several of their closest friends, or clients as the case may be. What is bothering me about it is that we are also supposed to be taking Neal along with us. With him as the prime suspect in so many things right now, it's going to be challenging. Then there is the possibility of him trying to impersonate Bryce and these things he keeps alluding to…"

Hugging Peter, Elizabeth asked. "What is he alluding to?"

"I don't even know for sure, because he won't talk beyond cryptic comments. Mostly, he seems to be up to something for noncriminal purposes, but he can't talk about it because of some obligation with someone else that doesn't allow him to." Peter summarized the problem.

"Is he being blackmailed or something?" Elizabeth got worried. She liked Neal well enough and didn't want to see him getting into more trouble. He already seemed to have enough.

"Not according to him. He is doing whatever it is on his own volition, but there is someone involved behind it." Peter hugged her closer. Neal had him worried, but there wasn't anything he could do to help while he had no idea what was going on.

"It's going to be okay, Peter. You are keeping an eye on the situation, and I trust you will figure it out one way or the other." She was sure Peter would manage the situation somehow.

Grateful for his wife's confidence, Peter kissed her again. "Thanks, hon. These cases and all of the stuff with Neal have me rather confused. One moment he seems to be completely guilty, and the next it is like he is also completely innocent. I don't know what to believe."

"Time will tell, and you will figure it out. You're the archaeologist after all." She tapped him on the nose playfully as she tried to distract him.

Smiling at her playful gesture, Peter caught her into another kiss before looking at what she was cooking. "What is for dinner?"

"Your favorite; since you have been so stressed lately, I thought it would be nice to have your favorite meal before cuddling on the couch for a while." She tried to offer him a relaxing night to ease the pressure.

"Sounds perfect," Peter breathed in the smell and tried to loosen up his tense muscles.

"Dinner won't be done for a little bit longer. Why don't you go pack and then we can simply enjoy the rest of the evening?" Elizabeth suggested.

"It won't take me long. Let me know when you are ready to eat." Peter hugged her from behind before kissing her cheek and going to complete his chore for the evening.

Heading up the stairs, he wondered yet again what the weekend would entail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, and leaving kudos :D


	13. Road Trip

*******

Waking up in the morning, Neal went about his usual routine for getting ready, packed the last of his belongings, and moved to wait in front of the hotel at five minutes till.

Peter was also running slightly early, so he pulled up to the curb soon after and popped the trunk.

Looking into the car as he picked up his things, Neal was surprised to see Sara occupying the passenger seat and the back left to him. Loading his bags in the trunk, he moved to hang his tux in the back seat next to the other two hanging bags for dress clothes. Then he climbed into the remaining empty seat and buckled in.

"Are we picking anyone else up?" He asked.

"No, we are taking two cars up so Jones and Diana can bring the equipment," Peter explained while he navigated back into traffic.

Nodding, Neal quietly got comfortable and settled in with a book. Reading to pass the time, he had seen the drive before, so he wasn't particularly interested in watching the scenery.

Glancing in the rearview, Peter wondered why Neal wasn't more excited about not only leaving his radius but the city for the first time in years. "Are you going to read the whole way, or are you going to enjoy seeing something besides the same two miles for a change?"

Rather than explain, Neal quietly marked his place and closed the book. Staring out the window at nothing in particular, he seemed to be more in his head than enjoying the view.

"Don't pretend to be looking at the scenery, Neal. If you aren't going to look around, then just read your book," Peter commented. He didn't like how compliant Neal continued to be. Usually, the con man did what you told him not to do, even if it was just for spite, so his being obedient kept throwing up red flags.

"Why are you being so quiet, Neal? Usually, you would be talking away about the weekend and regaling us with the luxuries of the mansion or stories about the family," Sara asked. She was also noticing the unusual behavior in Neal.

"What would you like to hear? I could talk about the mansion from its décor to its history. There is the property and what it contains. Or, there is the family." Neal threw out the subjects like he could regale them on any one for hours. Actually, he could, but it was just another way to encourage their suspicion.

"Why don't you tell us about the estate first?" Sara suggested.

Looking towards the front seat, Neal started talking. "Well, the property is located on a peninsula in Connecticut and juts out into the Long Island Sound. The side facing the mainland has a fence going across it and a security gate where the road enters. Next, to the gate, there is a large horse statue that was placed three generations ago in honor of the family raising some prized thoroughbreds. Entering the estate, there are the sweeping fields to either side of the road where the horses still graze. Then there are the stables on the edges of the main property. After you begin to reach the buildings, then there are the lawns, pools, tennis court, guest house, and eventually the main mansion laying on the very edge of the water so the walkways around it have the waves lapping at the border."

Both impressed and suspicious, the others continued to question him.

"Okay, since you have studied them so thoroughly, what is the mansion like?" Peter asked.

Continuing to tell them of his childhood home, Neal moved on to the mansion. "Barnum house was built in the late nineteenth century but has been updated since then to keep up with the advancements in plumbing and electricity. Since the family immigrated over from English nobility, the house was built to mimic some of the old estates from the home country. Designed with some castle details, the mansion has a tower off of the side rooms containing a winding set of stairs for the servants to traverse the house generally unnoticed. There is another smaller tower further overused as a back entrance to reach the ballroom downstairs for caterers to haul supplies from the kitchen down."

"Entering the building, you start in a large and open entryway leading out into the great hall. From there, the grand staircases lead dramatically up to the family residence, or down to the ballroom. Otherwise, there are doors leading into the main front room for guest and a hallway leading back to less formal living rooms for the family. The kitchen is to the far side, and the dining room is between the living rooms to be easily accessible whether guests are present or not. Upstairs, the family has their private quarters and rooms for any guest they wish to keep closer. Downstairs, contains the ballroom, another formal dining space, and general lounges used for hosting events."

Before they could ask, he started to describe what the guest house was like, as far as the last time he had been around anyway. He wasn't getting too detailed, as there was always the possibility they had remodeled, but he described enough to show he knew what he was talking about.

"The guest house is more simplistic and is a new addition brought in during the early twentieth century. It houses several bedrooms in the upstairs with each containing a private bathroom. On the main floor, it has a kitchen, living room, office, and entertainment areas. I'm sure we will all be housed in the least fancy rooms of all."

Unsure of how to feel about Neal's level of knowledge, Peter asked. "What do you mean about being placed in the 'least fancy' rooms?"

"They each have their own theme, and some are decorated with more expensive items than others. It is a style that has been in trend off and on over the decades, so it has been kept up as a sort of tradition." He figured they would be placed in the least desirable rooms to keep them as distant from the family as possible.

"Do you know what themes the rooms are?" Sara asked. She wondered what type of room she might be staying in.

Listing them to the last of his knowledge, Neal described the basic details to them. "My source is a bit rusty, so some things might have changed," he added just in case.

"What, or who, is your source?" Peter asked. It was another opportunity to see if he could get any better understanding as to what Neal was doing.

"Remember, I can't say," Neal teased him with another non-answer.

Filing the existence of a source away, Peter continued to bide his time in collecting answers.

Seeing the situation turning awkward, and not wishing to ride the remaining hours in such an atmosphere, Sara asked about the family.

"As I said before, they are from a noble line in England. When they immigrated here, they technically lost their title and most rights to the estates back in the old country. Still, seeking new opportunities brought them and their family fortune over anyway. The first generation purchased the property and built a smaller house based on what was more common for the time, but some generations later it was knocked down to make room for the current mansion. As for the new opportunities, the family has invested in any and every lucrative option that has crossed their path since the start. Although the current manufacturing industry hasn't always provided the boost to their fortune, it has for the last three generations." He summarized the family history.

"Do you know much about the current generation?" Sara continued to look into how much he had gathered on the family.

"Ask away, but remember I'm not the most familiar with their current situation." Neal waved his hand indicating they were free to ask whatever they wanted to.

"Okay, what do you know about this Bryce they keep confusing you for?" Peter jumped to the question he wanted to be answered the most.

Of course, Peter had to ask that Neal mentally sighed to himself. "Bryce is the second son. When he was twelve his mother got sick… she died. After the funeral and other arrangements were passed, Richard shipped him off to boarding school. There he completed his general education with the occasional trip home for the holidays. Once he graduated, he went on scholarships to Stanford where he studied accounting and engineering. Four years later he graduated and moved to Washington DC where he worked as an accountant. There isn't anything else I could find on him." Neal wasn't going to go into details beyond where he stopped, and with good reason too.

"If you were going to con the family into believing you are Bryce, what would be the benefit? Would it be like a Lost Heir scam?" Peter tried to guess what kind of con Neal might be going for.

"There isn't any financial gain to be had by pretending to be Bryce. He got his portion of the inheritance when he graduated from college and made his final move out of the house. The only things he specifically owns there are the posters hidden behind the paintings and the gaming system in his old room. Besides, Bryce is the middle son and therefore not the primary heir to the family's company. Richard is keeping the old English tradition where the eldest son gets the main share while the younger sons get inheritances but have to find ways to take care of themselves." They say the middle child is the forgotten one in between the others. Bryce was a testament of the picture, so he knew the team was barking up the wrong tree by thinking Neal was doing it for financial gain.

Noticing that part of Neal's story hit a button, Peter was even more certain Neal was hiding something. He still didn't know what, but he suspected Bryce would be the key to figuring it out. Mulling over his thoughts, Peter let Sara ask the questions.

"What about the older brother? Umm…" She thumbed through the file she was holding, "Wyatt."

Throwing a look directing her not to get interested, which she ignored, Neal started to describe him. "Wyatt is the eldest and heir to the family company. He has always been close to Richard in order to learn the trade so he can be ready when his time comes to take over. Unfortunately, their close relationship has also meant he learned to be like Richard."

"And that is a bad thing?" Sara tried to get his impression of their manners.

"Not if you like people who feel themselves to be above virtually all company. They dote on those relations who took over the family title and estates back in Europe, and anyone here in the States who can relate to their station in life, but otherwise they aren't the most sociable of people beyond the basics. Sure, they will speak pleasantly to your face if they are obligated to do so, but they would avoid all involvement if they could help it." He didn't like to speak poorly of his family, but it was the truth, so there was no sense denying it to two such intelligent people.

"You don't like them, do you?" Peter got back into the conversation.

Pressing his lips together, it was a tricky question for Neal to answer. "I wouldn't say I dislike them… rather, I dislike certain aspects of their attitude, interests, and mannerisms." He loved his family in general, but they weren't especially close, so it was more of a familiar bond than an actual bond.

"Felix doesn't seem to display the same attitude, at least not to the same degree, so what do you think about him?" Sara asked.

Working to hide his reactions, Neal had to be more cautious with the question than to nearly any of the others they had asked. "He is a hypochondriac, which is his biggest flaw. Right now he is caught up in garnering attention through me as he either whines to get me involved in the case or insists I am just Bryce playing a joke. When he is finished with me, then he will return to his usual complaints of a sore muscle from some activity, a sneeze will be the beginnings of some tragic disease, or whatever he sees an opportunity to use. Since he is the youngest and not the heir, he is of little importance to Richard, and his mother died while he was still rather young. Most of his family attachment either come from before his mother passed away or through Bryce, who was the main one to look after him when he was at home."

"Are you sure you never met them before? You seem to know a lot about them for some online searching," Sara accused.

Looking at the rearview mirror, Neal assured them. "Neal Caffrey and the Larkin family have had nothing in common, or any connection with each other prior to this case." By carefully working his words, Neal knew he had skimmed past lying, but that they would become more suspicious of his cryptic comment.

Understanding that Neal had somehow answered the question honestly while misguiding them, Peter really wanted to study Neal, but he had to be preoccupied with driving safely instead.

Changing the subject on to other aspects of the family, Neal regaled them with random things he had learned from online research. Peter and Sara continued to ask questions, but the conversation didn't get as focused. Neal had made them suspicious enough for one drive, and they were still trying to figure out what was really going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, following, leaving kudos, and choosing to favorite:D


	14. Destination Reached

*******

Eventually the conversation slowed down and the group began to pay more attention to the change in their surroundings. Peter and Sara were interested to see what the country looked like, and Neal was happy to get away from their conversation topic.

It was awkward for him to talk about himself and his family from the perspective of another person while giving the air of stepping into his own shoes for impersonation. It was a tricky balance to walk the line between being obvious and hinting, but the other two seemed to have followed his lead well enough. Sara had grown more distant before the end of their conversation, like she was more certain he was going to impersonate himself, despite the lack of financial motivation. Peter… he seemed to be the suspicious archaeologist sensing a deeper motivation, but then he also seemed to be more of the agent who was looking for evidence of a con in progress. Neal would have to be really careful not to give the agent too much, or he might not react like he wanted him to.

Nearing their destination, Peter opted to pull off of the highway for lunch before they arrived at the estate. Exiting at the last town before they would duck down into the country, he found a decent looking café. Finding a parking spot, he reminded Neal to remain close before they all climbed out.

Stretching, Neal looked around and mentally reminisced through the many times he stopped at this very café on his way home from college. It was a great spot to grab a bite to eat and it gave him a last chance to prepare for going home. Although he was technically an equal member in the family, he always seemed to come up second rate, so it was not the most comfortable place for him to be.

"Come on, Neal. We are simply stretching, grabbing some food, and then heading on to the estate." Peter urged him to move.

Expecting the possibility of being recognized, Neal pretended to be looking around like it was his first visit. Following Peter along as he picked the corner booth, Neal was forced to slide to sit in the back facing out towards the other patrons.

"Hello, folks. My name is Peg and I will be your server today. Our special is…" She ran through her basic introductory routine while she passed menus and silverware to each of them. "What can I get you to drink?"

Going around and voicing their requests, the group began to flip through the menu in search of something appealing.

After taking their orders, Peg went back to get the drinks.

"What are you going to order, Neal?" Peter asked out of curiosity. There was nothing fancy on the menu.

Feeling his mouth watering for his old favorites, Neal already knew what he was going for. "I'm going all American with a burger, fries, and a chocolate shake."

Surprised, the others weren't expecting something so simple.

Looking up from the menu at their silence, Neal pretended he didn't know why they were reacting as such. "What, do you think I have always eaten fancy foods? I was a kid once you know."

Interested in learning something personal about Neal, Peter asked. "What was your favorite food when you were a kid?"

Staring off into the middle distance, Neal tried to think which one was the best to tell him. "Depends on what stage in my life you were talking about. My favorite baby food was applesauce, or so I was once told."

Laughing slightly, Peter knew he had left himself open for that one. "Okay wise guy, I'll be more specific. What was your favorite food when you were in high school?"

"There were two actually, cheesy pizza and a good old American burger," Neal smirked. He enjoyed sharing something real with Peter in complete honesty.

Before Peter could crack a comment, the waitress was back. "What can I get for you to eat?"

Placing their orders, the others decided to be somewhat inspired by Neal's choice and they ordered something akin to their childhood favorites. Meaning, Peter copied Neal while Sara got a grilled cheese.

After the waitress took their orders, they expected her to walk away and fill them, but she paused to look at Neal again.

"Are you Bryce Larkin? He hasn't been around here in several years, but you look just like him and this was always his favorite meal every time he came through." She had a good memory and a soft spot for the nice young man she had served so many times.

"I believe you must have me confused for someone else. My name is Neal Caffrey." Neal tried to get out of the situation easily.

Taking another moment to look at him like she was still second-guessing herself, Peg shook her head. "I'm sorry sweetheart. You just remind me of him a lot, so I just had to ask." She excused herself and went to place their orders.

"You have got to be kidding me. Even the waitress of some random café between New York and the estate thinks you're him. We seriously need to find a picture of this guy," Sara said.

"This is all making me more curious about what he looks like too." Peter agreed while pulling out his phone to do a search. Getting the results, he gasped in surprise. Then he moved to hold the picture up next to Neal for Sara to see why he was reacting so strongly.

Pulling the phone down after a moment, Neal looked at the picture. Coincidentally, it was a picture of Bryce sitting in the exact same booth with Chuck. The picture had been taken when Chuck was looking down in laughter, but Bryce had smiled right at the camera so there was no mistaking the similarities.

Still reacting to the picture, the other two no longer felt suspicious of why everyone was mistaking Neal for Bryce. If they didn't know better, they would either assume the men were the same person or twins.

Once the meal was finished, and they were refreshed for the rest of the ride, the group climbed back into the car and hit the road again.

Making the last stretch of the drive-in silence, the group each thought about the picture. Peter and Sara were mentally trying to wrap their heads around why Neal would look so much like Bryce, while Neal was thinking back to the day of the picture.

Eventually, they reached the countryside where the estate would be coming into sight. As the GPS started to give them notices, they all got more alert and changed their focus to be on the lookout for the entrance.

"You have reached your destination." Pinged out from the speaker as they came to what appeared to be the end of the road. Looking around, they had only to turn and go up a short drive before they would reach the gate. Navigating accordingly, Peter took them to the entrance.

Rolling down his window for the security, Peter pressed the button and answered the guard with their identification.

"Pull on through and continue up to the house. The staff will meet you there." They were directed as the gate opened up.

Following the instructions, Peter drove slowly up the road so they could take in the beauty of the estate.

"This is a beautiful home they have here," Sara quietly commented. The others could hear for the sheer silence of the car.

"You aren't normally one to enjoy the country. I thought you were more of a city girl," Neal commented.

"Although I do prefer the bustling city, I can appreciate the beauties the country has to offer," Sara defended herself.

Reaching the main house, Peter found a place to park and climbed out again. The first person he met was an older gentleman. He reminded Peter of the butler from one of the Batman movies, but perhaps it was just his imagination.

"Hi, I'm agent Peter Burke, this is Sara Ellis and Neal Caffrey. We are part of the investigative team here for the weekend," He introduced them.

"Very good, sir. I'm Giles Parker, the butler." The man introduced himself in return. Then he directed some younger men who had arrived to collect the luggage. "We will be placing you and Miss Ellis in the guest house. However, Master Felix insists on Mr. Caffrey having Master Bryce's old room."

Not liking the arrangement, Peter requested Neal to be placed in the guest house with them. "He is a criminal consultant and to remain with one of my team at all times."

Understanding, Parker made alterations to the plans. "The private guest room next door tends to remain empty should Master Bryce ever have need of it. You can be placed there."

Feeling better about the arrangements, Peter followed the butler as he led them to their rooms.

For some reason, the butler didn't react to Neal the same way everyone else had been. There was no surprise or suspicion. The man simply greeted Neal professionally and led him on his way. His calm had Peter suspicious or impressed. Either something was up, or the butler was very professional.

Taking in his surroundings, Peter tried to orientate himself with the rest of the house as they walked through the main way and up into the private quarters. Reaching a back hallway as far from the other rooms as possible, he was surprised to see the son's room separated by such an expanse.

"The master was moved to this room when he went away to boarding school, and the room next to it became his private space for bringing friends home with him on holidays," Parker explained.

"Did he ever bring home any friends?" Peter wondered.

"Two, Jonathon from his boarding school days, and Charles who was his college roommate. The boy has never had many close friends." There was something wistful to his voice that made Peter curious.

"You sound like you are rather close to him," he observed in the hopes of getting a reaction.

"It was often my duties to look after him as a young boy, but I haven't seen him in years." He became a bit sad.

Neal felt bad for having been out of contact for so long, but at least Jonathon had prepared Parker so he wasn't shocked by his presence.

Arriving at the rooms, Peter was shown into his, and Neal was led to the next room.

Walking over as soon as the butler had left, Peter started looking around Neal's room to make sure there wasn't anything for him to worry about.

Poking around, Peter didn't find anything too important. There was an empty dresser, a desk with basic supplies, and a display system with some basic art and a hidden gaming console.

Then he started to shift the paintings carefully and was surprised to see a poster hidden behind every one… exactly like Neal had said. Unsure of what the discovery meant, Peter wondered if Neal was laying the groundwork for everyone to think he really was Bryce. If impersonation was his intent, then he had a good run going. Between the picture, the knowledge of the posters, and extensive knowledge about the family, Peter found himself questioning if Neal might actually be Bryce. After all, the young man hadn't been in touch with the family in some time as far as he could tell. Maybe he went off into crime instead of working as an accountant?

Having no idea what to do with the situation, Peter decided to leave Neal to his preparations for the evening. They were to freshen up, get their instructions on how the party would go along with a tour, and then return to their rooms to dress.

While he settled his things into the room, Peter called back to the office and requested a full background check to be run on Bryce. He wanted to know if anything crossed over between the two.

Once done, he called Elizabeth and showed her around the room via a video chat until he heard a knock on the door as his call to go downstairs. Ending the call, he joined Neal and Parker in the hallway.

"This way, sirs," Parker formally directed them to follow him around on the tour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, and leaving kudos:D


	15. The Ball

*******

The tour and instructions were fairly quick, so Peter soon found himself back in his room.

Looking around, he couldn't believe how lavish the accommodations were for a kid to bring friends home from school to. "What is wrong with a pair of bunk beds in a basic room?" He muttered out loud.

"That wouldn't be good enough to suit the Larkin heritage. The family always has to live up to hundreds of years of wealth and social status." Neal answered from behind him.

Spinning around, Peter was surprised to see Neal almost ready. "How did you get ready so quickly?"

Shrugging, Neal fiddled with the paperweight from the desk beside him. "Habit I guess. Do you need anything, or are you set?" He asked.

"No, I've got everything I need." Peter quietly answered while he watched Neal. The man was acting reserved and quiet, which wasn't normal for him.

"Alright, I'm going to go finish getting ready then," Neal turned to leave.

Biting his tongue, Peter held back the slew of questions he wanted to ask Neal. He knew Neal wasn't going to answer them anyway.

Once he was alone in his room again, Peter proceeded to get his shower and began to get dressed for the evening. Putting the last touches to his tux, he heard the knock on his door telling him it was time to head down.

Opening it to reveal Neal dressed to the nines, he whistled lightly. "And where did you get such a tux without Byron's old wardrobe?"

"Borrowed it.," was all Neal would say. Hopefully, no one would recognize it as being Jonathon's, but then most of the guest either didn't know him, or they didn't pay attention to him because he was just Bryce's lawyer and friend.

Deciding not to ask who the donor was, Peter walked down to the ballroom with him.

Reaching the lowest floor, Peter was once again surprised to see such a nice room in their home. Sure, he had seen some fancy ones through his investigations in New York, but it still never ceased to surprise him how much money some people invested in lavish things they hardly ever used.

Looking around the room again, he tried to memorize it so he could answer Elizabeth's questions later.

The inside wall was lined with doors covered in mirrors, but they were all open to allow the guests to flow around freely. Then the outer wall also had several mirrored doors across it which opened onto the back patio and out into the gardens. Turning towards the front wall, Peter could see a fireplace surrounded by mirrors and golden drapery. Following the line of view up and across, he glanced over the million-dollar chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, which was ornately covered in decorative moldings, all the way over to the other wall at the far end where a balcony had once housed live musicians. It was quite the grand room, but it was over the top for Peter's taste.

Trying to keep Neal in his sights, he didn't miss the moment when Neal saw Sara make her grand entrance. Watching Neal directly and Sara through a reflection, Peter got the whole picture.

Sara was dressed in a long flowing gown of an eye-catching shade of red. It set off her soft skin color, red hair, and green eyes very nicely. The mystery was the guy on her arm…

Neal obviously saw her the moment his eyes caught red because his head snapped up in her direction and he watched her approach.

When she reached them, Peter turned where he could no longer watch everyone, but so he was more of a participant in the conversation.

"I see you found a date for the evening," Neal teased. Then he complimented Sara. "You look beautiful though, so it is of no surprise."

Blushing slightly as she smiled, Sara played off her emotions as an attraction for her date. "Meet Ian Macrae. He is another guest with the room down the hall, so we decided to keep each other company for the evening. Ian, meet Neal Caffrey and Peter Burke." She gestured to them to indicate which was which.

Keeping an austere distance, Ian was cordial, but not overly friendly, "It's a pleasure to meet you." He wasn't overly outgoing, but there was something about him that drew Sara's attention.

Watching him, Peter found himself imagining something of the character Mr. Darcy that Elizabeth liked. Fortunately, he hadn't been forced to watch Knightly and McFadden battle it out in a while. Still, he was watching a real-life version instead.

Maintaining the polite conversation, Neal continued to talk until someone in the crowd drew Ian, and therefore Sara, away.

Turning towards Peter, he commented. "It looks like she found a good way to blend into the crowd and feel the guest out."

"No comment on her date?" Peter tried to see how Neal would react.

Shrugging, Neal tried to play it off, but Peter obviously wasn't going to let it go. "Fine, I do feel like she is trying to replace me. Happy?"

Raising an eyebrow, Peter indicated he was still looking for more.

"Why do I feel like I'm competing with Mr. Darcy? He is a fictional character after all," Neal vented a little bit.

Laughing, Peter was amused to see Neal floundering in comparison to a handsome and wealthy man. He was far too used to being the most handsome, most charming, and/or most interesting guy in the room. "That's more like it. You are far too accustomed to women being charmed by your smile. It's about time you felt some competition," He smirked.

"Ha-ha, very funny. Did you know most people don't look twice at me, the person behind the mask?" Neal threw out before disappearing into the crowd.

Regretting making fun of him after he had lost so much, Peter decided he had probably gone a little too far.

For Neal, it was a reason to get away. He retreated off into the crowd in the hopes of being by himself, but he wasn't so fortunate.

"I hear you are the man with a treasure?" Someone purred behind him.

Stiffening, Neal wasn't happy to learn rumors of his alleged guilt had even reached this crowd. "Then you have heard wrong," He corrected while holding his ground.

"Perhaps, or perhaps not," The woman wasn't going away. "Do you have any idea how much you resemble the Larkins… especially Bryce?"

"So everyone keeps telling me." Neal had a feeling that whoever she was, she wasn't up to anything he was going to like. "And you would be?" He asked in an effort to get her to come around to where he could see her.

"Kendra Peyton," She purred seductively.

"Wyatt's girlfriend," He identified her. Why was she coming on to him when Wyatt was the heir of everything the family had? "The question is, why would you be interested in me when you already have Wyatt and his millions in the palm of your hand?"

"What are millions compared to countless billions…" her voice drifted off dreamily. She was blond, but obviously not by natural means, and her deep brown eyes were keenly interested in the wealth she was imagining.

So that was the reason behind her interest… greed. Hopefully, Wyatt would get wise before he popped the question and tied himself to her for life. Working to get rid of her, Neal told her the truth. "Then you are looking at the wrong man. I barely own the clothes on my back, and at the moment these are borrowed, so I don't even own them."

"Hmmm… if that is the case, then too bad," She drew her hand across his shoulders as she walked away.

Relieved, Neal turned to run right into his sister in law. The woman had once come on to him as well, but somewhere along the line, she had understood he wasn't interested in return. Surprisingly though, she had turned her attention onto Felix, and they had eventually gotten married. Knowing her situation, Neal knew she was expected to marry someone within the neighborhood, but most of them were more interested in themselves than anyone else. Apparently, she had chosen the two she liked best and settled with the one who returned her interest. Having been watching her interactions with Felix, Neal was relieved to see some genuine romance to their relationship.

"I don't believe we have met yet. My name is Neal Caffrey. You are one of the Larkins, am I right?" He pretended to be meeting her for the first time instead of having grown up together.

"Yes, I'm married to Felix Larkin. My name is Clara Adair-Larkin. So, you are Neal Caffrey. Why are you trying to make us think you are Bryce?" She introduced herself and got right to the point.

Great, even she was going to go after him. "When have I told anyone I am Bryce? Rather, it has been a bigger battle to keep people from calling me Bryce than anything," He argued. They had bickered from time to time ever since they could talk. Clara and he got along well in general, but sometimes she was like his little sister, so they would get into arguments or fights.

"No one has said you directly declared yourself to be Bryce, but there is something about you that makes people think you are him, and you aren't doing anything about that. My brother in law is a much better man than you, so I would appreciate it if you didn't do anything to tarnish his name." She was determined to stand up for him, even though he wasn't around to know it.

Glad to know she still had a good opinion of him; Neal simply agreed to take her advice. "I have been correcting people as much as I can. If you have any further suggestions as to how I can avoid the confusion, I would be glad to hear it."

"Why don't you wear a name tag or something?" She threw at him.

"With this suit? It is borrowed, so I would rather not tarnish it," He defended.

"Then you had better think of something. Bryce is a nice guy, but he wouldn't appreciate being taken for a con man," She finished the conversation. For some reason, she really didn't like to see Neal walking around the place. Maybe she was worried about having a known felon near the family?

Unsure as to what her problem was, Neal decided not to pursue any conversation with her. Instead, he was more interested in getting away from the crowd. Utilizing his old maneuvers, Neal easily exited the party and retreated back up to his room. Passing Parker on his way, he patted him on the shoulder and made a remark about the party being too crowded for his comfort.

Making it back up to safety, Neal took one of the paintings off of the wall to reveal his favorite poster. Although Tron wasn't his favorite movie, it did remind him of one of his favorite people. Undoing his tie and slipping off his jacket, he got a little more comfortable and was going to pull out the gaming station to be entertained for a while. It had been too long since he had sat back and enjoyed the simple pleasures.

"So, this is where you got off to. Don't you know this isn't your room, Caffrey? And why is the picture down off of the wall, were you looking for a wall safe or something?" Diana accused.

Apparently, she was the person sent to discover his location after Peter lost track of him at the party.

With the moment ruined, Neal silently placed the picture back on the wall and put the game console away. It was impossible to enjoy the old pleasures with Diana hovering around and criticizing him for his actions.

"Come on Caffrey, what do you think you are doing?" She questioned again.

"Obviously I'm not messing with the family valuables." He turned and left the room by walking past her. "I'll be down by the pools. At least there I won't be confronted by every passerby and accused of impersonating Bryce."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, and leaving kudos :D
> 
> Alrighty, one, we've gone from two furballs down to one this week. Huckleberry Sam is showing some age but continues towards two years old as a happy little hamster. However, his sister, Pippin Fleur, has passed away. We've known this was coming for a while due to illness, and we hate going through this for our furballs and us, but we're glad she's no longer suffering.
> 
> Two, we canceled a large trip so I will be having a stay-cation part of this week so I'm looking forward to that :D But, I will also be having a short vacation next weekend. Based on this, I anticipate my next chapter being posted sometime on Sunday evening.


	16. Starry Reflections

*******

Slipping through the mansion, Neal reached the outdoors and breathed in as much of the sea air as his lungs could take. It was one thing he missed about being at home, the smell. The air had a salty brine to it and was cleaner than in the city. Meandering through the garden walkways, he strolled randomly towards his intended destination. Although he knew where he was going, he enjoyed letting the night take him where it would as he admired the flowers by the moon and soft path lights.

Eventually, he reached his favorite pool and settled in on one of the chairs. Getting comfortable, he laid back to enjoy one of his most treasured views as the stars reflected off of the water. It was rather peaceful and a rare opportunity to relax as himself.

Continuing to breathe deeply, there was a real risk he might fall asleep if he wasn't careful. Smiling to himself, he imagined he would get a rude awakening once Peter managed to track him down, so there wasn't much worry in falling asleep.

After a while, he heard the soft sound of footsteps approaching. "He must be around here somewhere. There wasn't anyone around the other pools. Why do they have so many pools anyway?"

Coming up beside the spot where Neal had drifted off, Peter suddenly stopped up short as he realized they had found Neal sleeping. "Sleeping under a blanket of stars?" He asked gently so as to not startle the waking man too much.

Yawning, Neal stretched lightly as he woke up fully. "Why not? I figured you would wake me up when you were ready, so I wasn't worried about drifting off."

"I've heard that sleeping under the stars is the only way to go," Sara commented with a smile.

"At least no one is accusing me of anything if I am asleep, so there is that perk as well," Neal said as he rubbed his eyes and sat up.

Flinching, Peter's eye twitched at the comment. It hurt him that the only way Neal felt safe from accusations was when he was asleep. "Neal…"

"Don't. If I haven't been being accused by the team, then I have been accused by everyone else. It doesn't matter where I go, what I do, or if I am guilty or not." He ran his hands through his hair while he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

"What are you talking about, Neal?" Sara asked while moving closer.

Laughing without humor, Neal looked up at them. "Back in the city, I get accused by the team, June, Mozzie, and every single person who knows who I am. Here… suddenly I have people I have never met coming on to me for things I never had or accusing me of things I haven't done."

Feeling bad for how he was being treated, despite wondering if he was guilty, Peter and Sara pulled up seats of their own.

"Do you know how the word is getting around?" Peter asked.

"No, just that it is," Neal looked past them to the lights on the water.

"The office hasn't said much beyond the basics of you being a part of our team… but we have said you have a criminal history to the Larkin family." Peter realized he and the team did do some damage to his public perception, but then Neal did it to himself by choosing to be a criminal, so they were just warning others to be careful.

"My people shouldn't have said anything," Sara knew her team wasn't sharing details about the FBI because they weren't their responsibility.

"So, the team warned people. It still doesn't explain why people know enough details to come after me on specific things." He wasn't going to detail who or what specifics as they probably wouldn't believe him anyway.

"Who, Neal? And what did they come after you on?" Peter tried to question.

Staring off into the water, Neal refused to answer.

"Neal…" Peter got his authoritative tone.

"Why? So you won't believe again? Like you have believed anything I have said in the last few months?" Neal continued to stare off into the water.

"The evidence doesn't agree with your word and your word has proven not to be the most trustworthy in the past," Peter defended himself.

"And yet you ask me to waste my breath again and again by asking me to tell you answers you don't believe," Neal continued to fight him.

Seeing the first spark of battle he had seen in a few days, Peter was as glad to see it as he was annoyed by it. "Just answer the questions, Neal," he ordered.

"Fine, but you won't believe me anyway," Neal huffed. Sara had to be witness to this as well, so then he would have both of them to deal with. "Kendra became interested in me after hearing that I allegedly have the treasure. She is Wyatt's girlfriend and will have millions if he is foolish enough to marry her."

Frowning at him, Peter did have the thought cross his mind that Neal was messing with the heir's girlfriend for some ulterior motive. Neal's reaction snapped him out of the thought though.

"Exactly, and you are already off trying to figure out how this fits into me trying to con everyone into believing I am Bryce," Neal pointed out how correct he was. "See, you don't believe me, and I wasted my breath to tell you the truth, yet again."

Standing up and moving to walk away, Neal had had enough, "Goodnight!"

Moving quicker, despite Neal's anger, Peter caught up to him before he had hardly cleared his seat. "Neal," grabbing his CI's arm, he forced him to stop.

Turning abruptly to face him in the eyes, Neal felt the fight drain out of him. He was just tired.

Seeing Neal's eyes change from hurt anger to fatigue, Peter wondered what kind of a toll the situation was taking on him. "Alright, we will watch to see how she found out about the inquiry. Our investigation is off the books, so not many people know anything about it."

"Meaning someone I consider a friend is doing it, that doesn't help Peter." Neal shook his hand off of his arm.

Taking her turn to get Neal's attention, Sara stepped forward. "Your friend's wouldn't be so suspicious if you didn't give us reason to be." She wanted him to remember why their reactions were valid.

"Even when I tell you the truth and am completely honest with all of you, none of you give me the benefit of a doubt. What does that say about our friendship if it is so unforgiving?" Neal turned to walk away.

"Hey, we have given you plenty of second chances," Peter piped up.

"And I have entrusted you with my life. You know enough to get me killed, and if this keeps up, that won't even be hard for anyone to achieve," Neal slipped up again. Why could he face down so many situations like this without batting an eye, but place Peter and Sara in the mix, and he slipped up repeatedly? Sighing, Neal knew it was because he was destroying two of the relationships he saw as the most valuable. "Forget it. I'm tired, so I'm going to bed."

"No, you don't, Neal! There is no dropping bombs like that and walking away!" Peter grabbed him and swung him around again. "You said you weren't being threatened. Why are you suddenly saying stuff about someone killing you?" He was worried and protective, so this wasn't going to be dropped until he had answers.

Slumping his shoulders, Neal didn't have a definable answer, just a feeling. "You aren't the only one with instincts to warn you. I don't know who, or where, or even exactly which reason… but I know it is coming, and there is nothing that is going to stop it. We all know I have enemies, and adding the allure of a possible treasure is only going to lead to some of them taking more drastic measures."

Panicking at the acceptance he could hear in Neal's voice, Peter got angry. "And you weren't going to say anything? This is your life we are talking about Neal!"

"Say what? That my instincts make me feel like someone is out to get me? For what? So everyone can laugh and tell me not to worry about the monsters under my bed? There is no definable threat, only a feeling. No one believes a word I say, and everything I do is questioned in relation to any crime I might be committing," Neal pointed out how alone he was. Since the cat was out of the bag, he might as well defend his reasoning for trying to keep it in, at least a few of them anyway.

Despite their ongoing fight, Peter could see Neal's exhaustion, so he decided to finish the argument. "You are going to tell me everything! If you so much as think a monster is hiding under your bed, I want to know about it. Do you understand me, Neal?" Peter wanted to do everything he could to keep Neal safe. Whether he was guilty or not, Neal was his responsibility.

"Yes, Peter," Neal was getting even more tired. So much for not giving Peter too much, now he was going to be on the alert for threats. Then again, having another pair of eyes might increase his odds for surviving whatever was coming.

With tears glistening in her eyes, Sara spoke up. "Don't you dare act like throwing your life away is okay! We may be angry and suspicious, but none of us want to see you dead!" She was furious and scared too. They were the only signs she had given that she might still care.

Getting a soft look neither Peter nor Sara had ever seen before, Neal looked at them with a strength that surprised them. "It's not like I'm suicidal or anything, I've just learned to accept the inevitable, no matter when or how it comes."

Not feeling any better, Sara and Peter felt guilty for missing how Neal was handling everything. But as Neal yawned again, they knew a prolonged argument wasn't going to do any good. Parting ways for the night, Sara continued on to the guest house while Peter walked with Neal back up to their rooms.

"I'm sorry, Neal. I should have been keeping a better eye on you," Peter muttered to himself. Neal was feeling sleepy after such a long day, so he didn't seem to notice Peter's words. Then Peter thought of a question he needed to have answered. "Do you still trust me?"

"To trust me? No. With my life? Definitely," Neal answered shortly.

Feeling somewhat relieved, Peter was glad to know their relationship wasn't completely destroyed. Sure, the foundation was extremely shaky, but it could be repaired. It was the lack of faith that bothered him though. "You don't trust me to trust you?"

"When have you trusted me through any of the stuff recently? Even when I tell you the truth, or enough to put my life into your hands, you still question me." Neal really needed to stop talking. The more he kept talking to Peter alone, the more he slipped. He was supposed to be pushing Peter away, not giving him reasons to draw nearer.

"I don't trust you, but I don't completely distrust you either, it just depends on the situation and circumstances," Peter confessed as they got closer to the mansion.

"This way, if you want to avoid the crowd," Neal turned and took another route back before going through a side door that hadn't been a part of the tour earlier. "This is the servant's entrance, so not a place shown to guests." And there he went again; he revealed knowledge about the mansion that no one else from the team had.

"You seem to be very familiar with this place," Peter commented.

"And I can't tell you why. It ties into everything else I am not supposed to be talking about," Neal mumbled.

Filing it away, Peter had just another fact to fit into his theories. Either Neal was working hard to do everything but obviously impersonate Bryce, he was Bryce, or he was somehow connected to Bryce, despite his careful protests to the contrary.

Sneaking through the servant's route, Neal led Peter the back way up to their rooms without encountering a single guest or family member along their way.

Reaching their rooms, Peter walked Neal in and made sure he reached his bed alright. Turning to leave, he heard Neal muttering as he curled in to sleep. "Jonathon will understand if I wrinkle his suit… Goodnight, Peter."

"Goodnight, Neal," Peter answered as he closed the door. Going to bed himself, if was a long time before he slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, commenting/reviewing, leaving kudos, following and choosing to favorite my stories and me :D


	17. Morning Conversations

*******

Waking up to the sound of Neal knocking on his door, Peter groaned realizing he had slept late.

Opening the door and walking in, Neal smirked lightly on the surface as he teased Peter. "Sleep a little too good there, Peter?" Beneath the surface, he knew Peter had stayed up to think about his slips, so he was worried. How much had Peter figured out?

Trying not to give any of his theories away, Peter played along and pretended to have overslept due to the comfortable bed. "It's like sleeping on clouds," he jested. His night had been spent lining up what his observations had collected and trying to figure out how they all fit together.

"Uh-huh," Neal knew they were playing their usual game, but it was the most normal things had been between them in quite a while. "Parker says breakfast is ready, so you need to get dressed if you want anything."

"Thanks for the wakeup call. Does this make you my alarm clock now too?" Peter joked.

"No, I'm less annoying," Neal commented in return as he closed the door.

"I don't know about that, but you are certainly more special," Peter said to himself as he climbed out of the covers.

Getting dressed didn't take long, and Peter was soon in the hall. Finding Diana on his way down, he paused to observe a piece of art hanging on the wall so they could talk alone for a few moments. "What is it, Diana?"

"Last night, I caught Neal poking around behind the picture frames in Bryce's room and messing around with the things in his display case. I thought you should know about it." She was suspicious of Neal's actions, so she wanted to take them to Peter. He was the resident expert, boss, and neighbor to the con man after all.

Having expected the subject to come up, Peter wondered what her take would be. "I'm not surprised. Neal knew about those posters before we even got here…"

Shocked, Diana hadn't expected that, "He what?"

"Yeah, he knew about Bryce's secret posters, the servant's entrance, that the pool would be the perfect place for the stars to reflect… he keeps coming up with things that aren't general public knowledge. Either he did a better Google search than we did, or he is hiding has some kind of connection to the family."

"Don't tell me he has you thinking he might be Bryce?" She couldn't believe Peter was falling for Neal's con.

"Believe me, I don't want to go there, but the thought has crossed my mind. He might be doing a really good job of making us think he is conning us without actually conning us, however unlikely he could actually be Bryce, or he could simply have a connection to the family he wants to keep secret for some reason. My mind kept playing through the possibilities until late into the night. Neal is worried about what I might have figured out, but he played along with me in our usual game of dodging the truth," Peter talked as he continued to stare at the painting.

"Why do you always let him get to you?" Diana sighed, "He is a con, Peter. Of course, he is going to make you question yourself. How many times has he put you through this loop?" She vented a little bit.

Putting his hands out to settle her down, Peter understood her frustration. "That is the problem. Trouble is Neal's middle name, so it doesn't matter how this goes, it isn't going to be good," Peter shook his head. Neal troubled him because his instinct said the situation was going to end badly, but he had no idea how. When this was all over, would Neal be in danger like he hinted, behind bars, or angry with him for his suspicion?

"How are you going to play this boss?" Diana knew Peter was aware of how things could go. The question was how he was going to handle it.

"…Right now, I am pretty much on the fly. Neal has secrets, and he keeps slipping stuff out, but I don't know enough yet to understand what is true and what isn't," Peter hadn't come up with much of a plan. "Basically, we are still following the evidence and keeping an eye on Neal. It's all I have at the moment. We need more information before we know what he is up to."

"Got it, business as usual," Diana smiled slightly as she continued on her way.

With their impromptu meeting over, Peter continued to walk down the stairs. Heading for the dining room, the only other person Peter ran into was the butler, Parker.

Having known about their search for Neal, Parker wondered if his assumption was right. "Was Mr. Caffrey near the reflecting pool last night?"

Curious as to what he was aiming at, Peter started a brief conversation. "Yes, he was asleep by the pool reflecting the stars. Is there a reason why you suspected we would find him there?"

"Master Bryce has never been a fan of those social events where he is pressured to hold the Larkin status with his family hovering around. He usually remains off to the side observing or insists on having one of his friends around so he has someone to talk to without all of the social requirements. If those don't work, he either retreats to his room to play video games or can be found relaxing by the reflecting pool after he has done his general rounds of the guests. Those two locations have always been havens for him when he is at home… ever since his dear mother died; he hasn't been the most comfortable here." Parker reminisced.

"Perhaps, but he isn't Bryce Larkin, he is my CI Neal Caffrey. Did he tell you anything?" Peter got suspicious.

"No, Agent Burke. He has not done anything of the sort. But I can assure you; I helped to raise that boy. That is Bryce Larkin." The man was certain.

Considering Neal already had him second-guessing himself, there wasn't much Peter could say. "Be careful in your assumption, Mr. Parker. Neal is a world-renowned con man. If he wants you to believe he is Bryce, then he will find a way of making it happen. Just… don't become too certain." He wanted to warn the man, but he didn't want to take it too far either.

Laughing lightly, Parker wasn't surprised. "Bryce has always been a master of getting what he wants. He has had to fight for what he needs all of his life."

"A millionaire has to fight for what he needs?" Peter was skeptical at best.

"Money doesn't buy everything, and it certainly doesn't buy some of the most valuable things." Parker knew Bryce hadn't ever really known the love of a father, his brothers weren't overly concerned about him, and his mother had died when he was young. Sure, he had money, but he didn't have a lot of people who cared about him.

"True. Money doesn't buy everything." Peter knew the things he loved best didn't come with a price tag.

"My advice to you Agent Burke is not to be sure until all of the evidence has come in. Bryce always has a reason behind his actions, and he is extremely skilled at keeping the secret until the time is right." Parker hadn't been told anything, but he was right in saying he had raised Bryce and therefore knew him.

"I'll keep that in mind," Peter wondered why Neal was slipping up then. If he really was Bryce and so good at keeping secrets, then it didn't make sense.

Continuing on to the dining room, Peter found himself walking into another conversation that went quiet upon his presence being noticed.

"You can continue in your speech Mrs. Wymond. Peter is already aware of how the public perceives me." Neal looked up from his breakfast to see who had interrupted.

"Am I interrupting?" Peter asked. He was curious as to what this elegant woman had been saying.

"No, agent Burke, you are not interrupting. I was just telling Mr. Caffrey how I don't like to see him around here. It would add credit to him impersonating Bryce if he were to be so inclined." She was austere as she sat staring Neal down. Her gray hair revealed her age, but her piercing gray eyes defied that appearance.

"If you don't mind my asking, how are you connected to the family?" Peter was curious who she was. She wasn't a Larkin, and he suspected her to be their particular friend, but with so many guests running around it was difficult to know for sure.

"I am Mrs. Eleanor Wymond. Catherine, Mrs. Larkin, and I were old school friends, so we were fortunate enough to settle in the same neighborhood. My estate is the next one down the road and for several years we enjoyed a very close friendship. She also entrusted me with the care of her children as their god-mother before her death, so now I live to help her family in any way I can… which includes the effort to keep fortune hunters at bay." She obviously directed the last part at Neal.

Understanding her position, Peter tried to appease her temper. "I appreciate your concern Mrs. Wymond and hope to have your assistance through our investigation. Neal is a member of my team, so I can assure you he will be on his best behavior while we are here, and he is doing his best to minimize the confusion caused by his similar appearance to Bryce." Although Peter was talking to Mrs. Wymond, he was also addressing Neal to say he had better not make a liar out of him.

Turning her severe expression onto Peter, Mrs. Wymond gave her parting words before leaving the room. "If there is anything I can do to help clear the Larkin name and get these allegations cleared up, then I would be happy to assist, but I refuse to work with Mr. Caffrey. Despite your word, I do not trust con men." Then with a regal nod, she swept out of the room in search of better company.

"You have obviously turned this house upside down in less than twenty-four hours." He commented to Neal, "I'm sure the family isn't usually this upset."

"They aren't usually under investigation for felonies either," Neal countered.

"True," Peter noticed how Neal seemed to prefer to say nothing at all over saying too much in his presence. "Cat got your tongue? You were rather chatty last night, and this morning you are hardly speaking above a single sentence at a time."

"That is the problem. I said too much last night," Neal continued to slowly eat his food.

Poking his eggs around the plate, Peter tried to come up with a better way of getting Neal to talk more. Since he kept slipping, he hoped to get more out of him. "What has me concerned the most is this stuff about feeling threatened for unknown reasons."

Knowing it was going to come up again, Neal tried to divert away from it while calming Peter's nerves. "Why wouldn't I feel that way? You are investigating me for three crimes I haven't committed, but there is obviously a reason why you are so certain about them. As a result of all of the suspicion: Sara broke up with me, Mozzie won't talk to me, June evicted me, the office keeps a safe distance, and I haven't even seen Elizabeth since the night after we were forced to defuse the submarine. After everything else, why wouldn't there be something waiting in the wings?" If Peter thought it was more of an effect of him feeling like everything else was going bad, then maybe he would react more like Neal intended him too.

"So, now you are going to try and play it all off as being your overactive imagination? Last night you were angry no one would believe you, and this morning you don't want me to believe you. What is your game, Neal?" Peter pushed to try and get a reaction.

"Why does there have to be a game? I was tired last night, and not just in the means of desiring sleep. So what if I vented a little bit? It isn't like it changes anything." He pushed Peter by continuing to insinuate that it didn't matter.

Feeling riled up, Peter was getting upset again. Why did Neal have to keep playing it off like he didn't matter? "Neal, if you feel threatened, then you need to say something. Considering your background and of the unknown number of enemies who might come out of nowhere, there is nothing we can do to protect you if we don't know about the problem."

"As I said, there is nothing definitive to mention, so stop worrying about it." Neal made another ditch effort.

Peter knew Neal was trying to chase him away from the topic of his safety, so he stopped pushing it. He had figured out enough to know Neal had a valid concern from some angle, but he couldn't push it yet, or Neal wouldn't give him anything.

Falling silent to finish their meal, the two men both knew the subject was going to come up again, but they also knew it wasn't the time to discuss it as neither was succeeding in their objectives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, choosing to favorite my stories and me, leaving kudos, and following :D


	18. Investigating

*******

The other guests were beginning to wake up, so Jones and Diana were conducting interviews to see what information the Larkin's closest friends could share.

While they were occupied, Peter and Neal moved to look at the art collection owned by the family. Sara joined them, and the three began trying to discover if there could be an external thief responsible, or if the crime had definitely been an inside job.

"How the job was done depends on when and where it was committed," Neal wasn't certain without more information.

"If it had been committed here, could it have been done by an outsider?" Peter asked to start their investigation.

"No, this would have been an inside job in some variation or another," Neal assured them. "See how there is no marking on the doors, the security system has no signs of being overridden, and the security staff keeps the grounds cleared of unwanted guests? Whoever switched the paintings would have walked in and out freely."

"How do you theorize the crime might have been committed?" Peter asked.

"Well, one theory is the curator coming in and viewing the art for one longer sitting, or she could have logged several shorter trips, in order to get the information for doing such a passable forgery. Then once it was done, she could secure the original art for transport, take it to another area for cleaning or maintenance, and then bring back a forgery in its place. It would be easy as no one would look twice and she could ascertain the art was still original as the resident expert. However, Kendrick would either have to be involved, or he would be neglecting in his duties of overseeing her activities to not notice the change in her routine." He shared the obvious conclusions, but it didn't mean they were how the crime was actually committed.

"She has a good reputation in the field though. Why would she throw that and her entire career away against the odds of getting away with the crime?" Sara asked.

"Perhaps she is an unwilling victim forced to keep her silence. Maybe she believes the crime was pulled off so efficiently it either wouldn't be noticed, or she could get away with it," Neal shrugged. "Just because a person has a good reputation, doesn't mean they can't commit crimes."

"If you were going to pull this job off, how would you do it?" Peter decided to try their usual method of thought. By having Neal get into the criminal's shoes, they often managed to decipher how the crime was actually committed.

Frowning at him, Neal took offense, "I didn't do this one, Peter."

Blindsided by Neal's defensiveness, Peter wondered where it came from. "I never said you did. Why would you jump to that conclusion so easily?"

"Because, this art has traveled through shows in New York in the time I have been out of prison, including the Met. Based on recent situations, it seems logical I would be the primary suspect, as I am in all of our other cases," He continued to be a bit defensive.

Unsure of what to think, Peter hadn't even thought of Neal as a suspect in this crime. "The forgery is good, but it didn't pass the authentication. Since I know your work does, why would I suspect you in this case?"

"And yet I am suspected of forging June's Athanasiou vase? It was so poorly done it didn't even need expert authentication to realize it was a forgery. The only reason it wasn't noticed earlier is the maid usually handles the dusting and placing flowers in it…" Getting a suspicious look on his face, he had obviously just found his likely suspect in the case.

Distracted for a moment, Peter wondered if Neal had really just caught a break in the other case, or if it was a misdirection to give him someone else to focus on. Taking mental notes, he decided to do a deeper investigation into the maid. "That is a different case, Neal. There is no particular security to circumvent at Junes as you were her tenant, you were trusted with free movement at all hours, and you had virtually unlimited access to it in order to commit the crime if you wanted to."

Reigning in his anger, Neal just gave Peter a look saying he had chosen his words badly. Like he would ever want to hurt his friends?

"Getting back on task here, just answer the question, Neal. If you were the curator, lawyer, or whoever may have forged the painting and switched it, how would you have gone about it?" Sara redirected the conversation before it could become another argument.

Dropping his masks back down and distancing himself, Neal went about the task as requested. "Disregarding my similar appearance to Bryce, I would have to use another method to gain access to the painting. One of the ways would be to impersonate the transporting crew. They are left with the art after it has passed the museum's security checks, there is no one watching over their shoulders during transport, and the family wouldn't notice if there wasn't someone to point out the switch. It would be the easiest way for an outside person to gain access, but it would still leave the curator missing the switch." There was no other way to see it because the curator was either involved by choice or being forced against her will.

"So, we need to talk to the curator one way or another. She is going to be the key to unraveling this side of the case." Beginning to look a bit excited, Peter had caught at least one discrepancy in another part of the case, "Kendrick never said the art had been on tour, or publically authenticated more recently than when it was first purchased. We have two suspects to investigate and a growing list of reasons for digging further."

"If only the rest of the case unravels as obviously as their involvement does," Sara hoped.

Neal didn't say anything as he simply continued to flip through the paperwork he had been going over.

Having gone through the security and logs for the art, Peter suggested they get lunch and catch up with the rest of the team to see what they had collected.

Meeting together in the dining room, the group decided to hold off on discussing their results as the family was also getting their food. Instead, they took the opportunity to observe the family in a more relaxed setting as they were comfortably at home.

"How is your investigation progressing?" Richard commented. He was mostly interested in his food, but the conversation was something to discuss while they ate.

"We have some scenarios to investigate and two particular suspects to pursue. Although we aren't certain on all of the details, we are making progress." Peter answered generically. He wasn't going to give all of the details up just in case someone from the family was also involved, but he did answer the question honestly.

"Who are your suspects?" Wyatt asked. He wondered how the family would be affected.

"This is an open investigation, so we will not be sharing the full details of our progress until the case is closed," Peter sidestepped the question.

Glad to hear they didn't appear to be the prime suspects anymore, the family mostly focused on their food and gave up trying to converse with the agents on their work. Changing the topic, the conversation became a general discussion of the events from the previous evening.

"What happened with your date, Ms. Ellis? Are we going to be seeing you around with Macrae?" Clara asked Sara. She liked the woman as she saw a stronger version of herself in the reflection.

Shying away from saying anything too definite, Sara tried to evade divulging any information, "We don't have any particular plans."

"That isn't a no; I'm thinking there might be something in store for our new romance," Clara got interested.

Blushing and shuffling her food around on the plate, Sara was embarrassed by the attention. It didn't help that her ex-boyfriend was also present for the conversation. "It isn't a yes either; we seriously don't have any plans."

Studiously ignoring most of the conversation, Neal tried to stay out of it. Having been through enough himself, he didn't wish to make the situation any more awkward or uncomfortable for her.

Seeing how Sara kept glancing at Neal, Clara made an intuitive leap. "Do you and Mr. Caffrey have a history?"

Irritated to have been caught, Sara acknowledged their romantic history briefly. "We do have a history, but there isn't anything there anymore." Although her words claimed she was over Neal, her physical actions told a different story.

"Uh-huh," Clara wanted to push the topic, but she didn't feel comfortable enough to do it. She didn't have a personal connection or relationship to give her permission for such intimate interaction. Since the conversation she wanted was off of the table, she decided to redirect to another conversation. "Okay, how about you tell me more about Caffrey then. I don't want to see him impersonating my brother-in-law, so I want to know more about him."

Taking a few little bites, Sara contemplated what to say. Deciding to give a basic description, she chose to answer Clara's questions. "What do you want to know?"

"Why would he want to impersonate my brother?" Clara asked.

Looking at Neal, Sara could tell he wasn't going to be of any help. "According to him, he wouldn't be able to make any financial gain, so I don't know what kind of benefit there would be."

Glaring over in Neal's direction, Clara threw out her next question. "What do you know about his past and who he really is, I mean, you say that he is a con artist, so what makes you think you know him?"

Caught completely off guard, Sara didn't know what to say. Looking over at Peter this time, she noticed he was also looking rather interested in the question. As he didn't appear to have an answer either, she struggled with the question. "That… is a really good question. Pre-eighteen, we have no idea as to who he is, or where he came from for sure. Post eighteen, Peter has found several crimes he is suspected in, but nothing too definite until after a case landed on his desk. We are pretty sure Neal Caffrey is his real name, but he doesn't like to talk about himself too much."

"Care to share now, Mr. Caffrey?" Clara turned her inquiry onto Neal.

Having finished most of his meal, Neal decided it was a good time to escape the scrutiny of his sister in law before she made him reveal something. If lying to his ex-girlfriend and one of his best friends was hard, she would be significantly harder. "As I have been telling Peter lately, that pertains to the information I can't share per a prior agreement. Now if you will excuse me, I'm sure you can feel much more comfortable discussing me without me present."

"Diana, keep him company. He is to remain with one of us at all times." Peter ordered while he remained for the conversation. Clara had brought up a really good point. Just who was Neal Caffrey pre-eighteen anyway?

Returning to the conversation, Clara asked about Neal's crimes.

Taking the lead on that one, Peter listed off the general information he had compiled pertaining to Neal's guilt. "The man is a legendary criminal, but even he has lines he won't cross." There was another ping in the gut. Was Neal actually guilty? He always took great effort to avoid harming innocent civilians, so why would he break his own rules by going after his friends? It didn't make sense somehow.

"So, you don't know who he is, where he came from, why he got into crime, or even how many crimes he has committed for sure… but yet you are willing to work with him and trust him while accusing him of likely being out to commit more crimes? You really don't make sense," Clara summarized her perspective.

Thinking again, Peter was surprised how much her perspective was enlightening him on his own motives. Why did he trust Neal to work so closely with him and why was he so certain he had committed so many crimes for sure? Yes, Neal seemed to be guilty, but he had been proven innocent in the diamond case and had lived off of the reputation from the jewelry box. How many crimes was he actually guilty of, and how many did he simply take credit for to build up his own reputation? The man had the skills and intelligence balanced with a lack of a violent past, which was why Peter worked with him, but was he correct in being so suspicious?

"I don't like having him here, how long do you need to have him present for your investigation?" Clara asked.

"The main portion has been completed. I can take him back to the city this afternoon," Peter stated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, and leaving kudos :D


	19. Back to the City

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, commenting/reviewing, choosing to favorite, and following :D

*******

Walking up to Neal's room with Jones, Peter continued to reflect on the conversation. It seemed the longer they were at the Larkin estate; the more he questioned all of his assumptions about Neal.

Suddenly, he found himself wondering who Neal really was, and questioned his guilt on nearly every crime he had been suspected off. On the other side though, he didn't know who Neal really was or which crimes he had actually committed, so why did he trust him so much?

Reaching Neal's room, Peter opened the door to discover Neal working with his laptop on the bed while Diana was reviewing her notes at the desk and keeping her peripheral on him.

"We need to talk about what we discovered, and then I will be taking Neal back to the city per the family's request." He watched Neal's reaction and the man didn't seem surprised, but he did appear a little relieved.

Seeing Peter reading him, Neal shrugged. "The family doesn't like me, no one trusts me, and I'm the prime suspect in multiple cases… of course they don't want me around."

"Is there a reason they should be worried?" Peter watched for Neal's reaction, he was back to testing him again.

Throwing a glance over at him, Neal didn't answer. His attitude said there was no need because he had already answered the question.

Saving his other question until they were alone on the drive, Peter turned the conversation to reviewing what information they had found in their investigation. "So, what did you find in your interviews?"

"There are a few things to research," Diana stated as she pulled her notes up. "In our interviews, the subjects believed the Larkins could potentially commit the crime based on their intelligence and capability for finding a means of getting the job done. However, they have more to lose than to gain. Since a large portion of their income is based on government contracts, they need to keep their noses clean."

"Do you think they would take the risk?" Peter wondered if there was even a chance the family might risk discovery for even a small gain.

"No, as Neal said, they aren't risk-takers and take great pride in their reputation," Diana was sure in her assessment.

"Jones, did your interviews back that up?" Peter turned to his other agent.

"Completely, the consensus is that the family is too invested in their social status, government contracts, and family history to commit such a crime." Jones talked about his notes.

"Did anyone else stand out to either of you as potential suspects?" Peter needed to know.

There wasn't anyone new, but there was more evidence against the curator. Apparently, she had been acting strangely, which went along with their theories of her being involved in the crime.

When they finished discussing the interviews, Peter shared their theories as to how the crime might have been committed.

Once they had finished detailing their findings, the team sat back silently for a few moments. Then Peter summarized the results. "So, on Monday we have to review copies of the government contracts, the background checks on the curator and Kendrick, check into the art shows and transport crews, and our notes to submit to the case file. It sounds like we got what we came for."

Giving out orders, he instructed for Jones and Diana to finish compiling the results and to bring Sara back with them when she was ready. Turning to Neal, his directive was short. "Get your things packed up, we leave within the hour."

Dispersing to their tasks, Jones and Diana went to find Sara for an update on her insurance investigation, Peter went to his room to pack, and Neal was left alone in his room to get his things collected as well.

Having left the estate easily enough, Neal was partly relieved to be away from his family, and partly worried about being trapped alone with Peter for a few hours. With the ways their relationship had been bouncing, Peter's animosity could rear its ugly head any moment, or Neal could find himself slipping up again and telling a friendlier Peter too much. Either way, it wasn't going to be a pleasant drive for Neal.

Thinking in the driver seat, Peter was determined to get more answers out of him. He had noticed Neal's tendency to slip up and share details he regretted when they were alone. Having several hours in the car seemed like a good opportunity to observe and question, so Peter planned on taking advantage of it.

Starting the conversation, Peter asked the first question on his mind. "Why are you relieved to be leaving the estate?"

Watching the countryside pass by the window, Neal answered. "I've been slipping up and revealing way more than I should be. Maybe I can get my equilibrium straightened up when I am back in the city…"

Peter pondered his answer. "Why is it such a bad thing to slip? You can trust me to help you, and you know that, don't you?" He wondered.

"I can trust you, but I'm not allowed to, so it is a bad thing to slip up," Neal turned to answer before staring out the window again.

"Hmm…" Why wouldn't Neal be allowed to trust him? He almost asked if he was working with a criminal crew, but then he remembered Neal saying his actions were driven by a noncriminal agenda. Blackmail and coercion had also been taken out as reasons based on Neal's word. That didn't leave many reasons he could think of.

"You will never guess what is going on, Peter. I have an active imagination, and I didn't see this coming either… even with more foreknowledge than you have." Neal reacted to Peter's obvious efforts to discern the truth.

"But you did have a choice in whether or not you wished to get involved?" Peter decided to take a different angle.

"Yes, I wasn't given much choice, but I was given choice all the same. It is rather like when you are put in similar situations. There is an element of getting to chose whether you would like to be involved or not, but there is also an element of pressure that you should be for the sake of others." Neal decided to throw a teasing hint at Peter. It would give the man something to chew on, but he still wouldn't guess the reality behind the situation.

Shocked, Peter didn't know what he meant. He did similar things to what Neal was doing? What could that be? Frowning, he tried to think through possibilities, but nothing seemed to fit right. Choosing his next line of inquiry, he pushed on. "You said your actions are for the sakes of others, how does committing crimes help other people?"

"One, I haven't committed any of the recent crimes I am being accused of. Two, you haven't been able to prove me guilty for the majority of other crimes you suspect me of. Three, there are other elements to the situation you aren't aware of which leaves you at a severe disadvantage towards figuring this puzzle out." Neal needed to start backing the conversation off. Peter had his hint to chew on, and Neal had another gain towards possibly being able to rebuild their friendship someday.

Having mixed feelings, Peter was both glad Neal seemed to be giving him some clues intentionally and frustrated he wasn't exactly being helpful towards solving the mystery. "If you are so restricted in your ability to tell me what is going on, then why are you giving me hints now?" He questioned.

"Because, our friendship has been real, and I want to rebuild it someday. I hope you might be able to forgive me if I have been at least somewhat honest with you where I could. As for the parts where I am risking getting into trouble for saying too much, well, it's the risk I take for the chance we might be friends again when this is all over." He didn't tell Peter it was conditional on his survival, the man was already upset enough about the hint, let alone the likelihood.

Feeling hopeful for the future, Peter really wanted Neal to be right. That whatever Neal had gotten himself into could be rectified and their friendship could resume someday. In the meanwhile though, there was still a lot going on that could change any positive outcome into a negative one. Deciding to curb any optimistic ideas, Peter endeavored to remain realistic. No matter what happened in the long run, Neal was presently a suspect in multiple cases and talking hints about the possibility of someone attempting to kill him in the near future.

Taking advantage of their time alone again, Peter had at least one more question he wanted to get Neal's reaction too. "Okay, putting all of the future stuff aside for the moment, why would doing something for the sake of others put you in danger? Based on your reactions back at the mansion, there is a legitimate reason for you to fear for your life, but not such a specific reason you are going to share it."

"Good leap of intuition. There is more to the situation causing an element of danger, but even if I don't tell you… I am telling someone." The confession should help reassure Peter. Knowing Neal had help would hopefully let the man sleep at night.

Losing some of his tension, and gaining more curiosity, Peter wondered what he meant. "Someone else is watching out for you?"

"I'm not completely alone in the world, Peter. There aren't many people in my life who really know me, but there are a few people who have the big picture and watch my back." He was drifting into dangerous territory again, so it was time to either do a drastic change of conversation or to drop it altogether.

Getting nervous again, Peter didn't know these people to understand what kind of an influence they could be having on Neal. It also meant he wasn't one of those people who knew the real him. "I'm obviously missing details on your life, including who these unknown people are and their influence."

Giving Peter one last bit of reassurance, Neal was going to change the subject afterward. "They are good people, Peter. I don't mean it in the sense of skilled criminals either, because you can be counted as one of them." Looking at Peter, he met his eyes for just a moment. Then it was time to force the subject change. "Still, you need to do your investigation on your own time, and I need to stop talking. We have drifted through more than I should have allowed and this could increase the danger for both of us. So far you are off of the radar for most of the potential situations, and I would like to keep it that way." He decided last second to add some of the warnings. With the potential threat coming from the team, he didn't want to see Peter put in danger needlessly.

Sensing that Neal was warning him as well as trying to reassure him, Peter continued to puzzle and sort through the information. Although he didn't understand what Neal was saying, he was determined to figure out as much as he could.

Changing the topic, the two men spent the rest of the trip in general conversation with nothing going too personal. Their bond was a recent memory, but their friendly relationship was still broken.

They seemed to reach the city quicker than they had left it, and it wasn't long before Peter was pulling up to the curb at the hotel. Waiting while Neal unloaded his things, he watched the man enter the building before he pulled back out into traffic.

On his way home, Peter decided to make a quick stop at the office to get Bryce's background check. He had only gotten more curious about the man as the events of the weekend continued.

Placing the folders in the trunk with his luggage, he felt it was a safer place to put them for the drive home. He would only be distracted if he placed them on the more convenient front seat.

Reaching home, Peter made short work of unloading the car and tending to his luggage. With the hard part of the work done, he settled in to start reading through the files.

When Elizabeth arrived home from her event, she wasn't surprised to see him engrossed in the papers as he looked to find who Neal might be, could be impersonating, or could know and be influenced by. There were a lot of details to cover, so she knew the remaining weekend was going to be spent poring over his new obsession.

Ordering a pizza for dinner and settling in on the other side of the table with her own paperwork, she decided to take advantage of the opportunity to not cook as well as get some of her own work completed.


	20. Home Again

*******

Waking up in the morning, Peter was eager to dive back into his mystery. Several theories had been running around in his brain while he slept, so he wanted to compare them to the facts. Getting dressed didn't take any time and he was soon settling in with a cup of coffee. Ignoring his rumbling stomach, the piles of papers were more interesting.

When Elizabeth eventually joined him, she pulled him away from his work to help her prepare breakfast. Her incentive was food, but her motivation was for him to share his theories with her while they prepared the meal.

Agreeing to the deal, Peter cleared his papers to the side which provided enough space for them to eat. Then he went to assist her in the kitchen.  
"So, what theories had you sleeping so restlessly?" She started the conversation while collecting her ingredients.

"Several really, there are so many things Bryce and Neal have in common, Neal's behavior at the estate, and so many people confusing the two, that I wonder what is going on," he got started.

"Which one is your favorite?" Elizabeth prompted. It wouldn't take much and Peter would be off and running, so she knew she wouldn't need to push for long.

"That is hard because it really comes down to two possibilities. Either I work with Neal, or I work with Bryce. The questions are whether or not Neal is impersonating Bryce, Bryce became Neal, or they are two separate people who know each other." Peter had narrowed it down to the simplest of possibilities, but there were still a lot of details to take into account.

"Okay, so let's focus on the first one, where Neal is impersonating Bryce. Tell me about the scenario," Elizabeth directed while she continued to work.

Pausing for a moment with a thoughtful expression on his face, Peter tried to get his thoughts into order. "Well, according to the files over there, Bryce has been dead for several years. He was killed in an armed bank robbery when he was working late as their accountant. Providing he really is dead, then Neal is impersonating him for some reason because he was acting so much like Bryce that he even had me wondering how he knew so many details."

"Did you say some of the family was certain he is Bryce? If he really is dead, then shouldn't they know and take his death into consideration?" Elizabeth was puzzled, shouldn't your family know when you die?

"The Larkins seem to be rather self-involved, and many of them seem to prefer ignoring the very idea of Bryce's existence, even if they think he might be sitting in the room next to them. Maybe he really is dead and his family missed the obituary?" Peter was suddenly struck by how sad life must have been for Bryce. Then remembering what the butler Parker had said, he could better understand why the kid would have had to fight for what he needed.

"That is a sad picture Peter, so hopefully there is something we are missing." Elizabeth hoped for better, even if Bryce wasn't someone she knew. It hurt to think a family could ignore their own to such an extent as to miss their death because they were so wrapped up in their own little world.

Shaking off the melancholy, Peter moved on to the next theory. "Bryce could also be Neal and living just across town. Based on my research, Neal has no history prior to the age of eighteen and Bryce practically disappeared after he left for college. The kid went home for the occasional holiday or family event when he was ordered too, but he generally seems to have stayed away and has been completely out of the picture since roughly the time I put Neal in prison. If the second theory is correct, then Bryce went off to become Neal Caffrey after leaving home, and dropped off of the family's radar when I sent him to prison… it would also mean he isn't playing a joke, but rather a con." Peter was irritated by the theory. In this scenario, another wealthy young man, craving the attention he should have had at home, went out into the world to find it through the rebellion of committing crimes. He was not impressed, to say the least!

"In comparison to the other scenario, the one where his family just missed his death, it is actually a happier outcome. I mean, Bryce is working here in the city and trying to help his family's problem." It was a happier theory in a way, but it reinforced the knowledge that Neal didn't have to be in an anklet. He had the intelligence and resources to find a better way of getting attention.

"I also like some aspects of the second theory. It would explain why they look identical, how Neal knew about things like the posters hidden behind the frames, and everything else where his knowledge seems fishy." Peter had to admit, it had a happier ending in ways because at least no one was dead.

"What about the last one? How do you think the two could be connected?" Elizabeth was curious, the third theory was probably the hardest one to prove.

Shrugging, Peter didn't know. "I have no sure idea. Maybe Neal ran into Bryce on one of his cons, the two learned they're doppelgangers, so they talked for the fun of it. There are more possibilities than I could list off as to how the two could have met. My question though, is why would Bryce empower Neal to impersonate him? It's rare, but fraud cases have had situations where someone gets close to a wealthy person they resemble before trying to take their place in society. It would also bring us back to the question of what financial gain Neal would get if there is nothing to be had from playing Bryce."

"Was there anything about Bryce's personal financial records in your files? Maybe Neal isn't trying to get anything from the family at all," Elizabeth was intuitive enough to think of the possibility.

Eager to verify the thought, Peter left off pouring their juices to hurry back and check. Riffling through the paper pile, it didn't take him long to find what he was looking for. "You're a genius, honey! Bryce Larkin owns a computer company called Simula Scripts down in Washington. If Neal could pass himself off as Bryce well enough, there might be some financial gain to be had there as it's a multimillion-dollar company. It would depend on if Bryce is really dead and how the business was handled after his death, but you might be on to something there," he kissed her excitedly.

"On the positive side, it gives you more to the picture and might help you to figure out what Neal is up to, but on the negative side, it gives you more to research," Elizabeth couldn't help but point out.

"As long as we get to the bottom of this, I just want to find the truth, hon." Peter was sincere in his desire to resolve things the right way. He hoped Neal wouldn't end up being a criminal when they got there, but then Neal was already a criminal, so it was always a possibility.

*******

Leisurely preparing his breakfast, Neal wasn't in any kind of a rush. The hotel room was empty and he wasn't particularly expecting anyone to drop by. Sure, Jonathon might stop by to pick up his tux, but that wasn't going to be a priority, so it could be months before he came for it. After all, it wasn't like the tux was his only one, just his signature one.

Smiling to himself, Neal kind of hoped his lawyer would stop by so they could talk about the weekend, but if he didn't, then he would simply have to make do with endeavoring to progress on his cases.

Returning to the rows of papers tacked into the walls, Neal sat back and studied what he had managed to collect.

Along one wall he had the details of June's case. The vase was a forgery of the one made by Diego Athanasiou which was a highly valuable piece of art. Its value was part of the skill used to make the Greek-inspired art, the fame attached to its maker, and his trademark for protecting his art against sun damage so they could stand the test of time. There weren't too many suspects to sift through, mostly the house staff, a few of June's frequent guests, and Neal. Since Neal hadn't committed the crime, he was one name off of his list everyone else seemed to be focused on.

Per his insight over the weekend, Neal wanted to focus on the maid. She was the person responsible for cleaning the vase so she would have noticed the fading, and since she didn't bring it to anyone's attention, she likely had a reason to hide it.

With a suspect in mind, Neal had a start, but he still needed proof he didn't have yet. The case still needed more research before he would be able to clear his name of the crime.

Moving on to the next one, Neal looked at the treasure. It took up the biggest wall because it had been going on the longest. Starting at the beginning, he noted the history where it had been stolen from the Russian people during WWII. Then he traced the general idea of it having been in the possession of the Nazis, who then moved it via a submarine to somewhere off of the coast of New York. Vincent Adler's family had been after it for two generations, so he had used several means of going after Neal to try and get his assistance. Although Neal fought him, he lost Kate, and Adler got the sub anyway. Continuing along, Neal had been kidnapped with Peter and forced to deactivate the many traps littering the boat to keep treasure hunters at bay. That night there had been a celebratory double date at the Burkes before Neal had left Sara at her apartment. According to his security devices, he himself had remained in bed all night, so there weren't any sleepwalking scenarios either. The next morning, Peter and Neal had returned to docks where Peter killed Adler to save Neal's life just after the sub blew up. Afterward, things got rather uncertain.

Based on Peter's accusations of Neal stealing the treasure, either the treasure had genuinely been stolen by someone else, or there was a logical reason to believe Neal might be guilty. He hadn't, but Peter tended to run on gut instinct proven by facts, so there was obviously something.

Going through his theories, Neal had thought through everyone who might have been involved, no matter how unlikely, he had even kept open the possibility of unknowns like other Nazi lineages. Based on the facts, Alex Hunter proved to be the best candidate. She was a third-generation treasure hunter and had been taught the secrets of the Nazi U-boat by her grandfather, so she had a personal motive to find his legacy for her. Being a thief and fence herself, she had the knowledge, skill, equipment, and contacts to pull the crime off in addition to being the only known possibility that wasn't present and accounted for.

Having gotten his hands on the blueprints for the warehouse during the chaos before the weekend, Neal had a pretty good idea as to which ways were the most likely means of stealing the treasure, but that still left the reason he was suspected a mystery. It was difficult to clear his own name if he didn't know why he was a suspect.

Smirking, Neal knew Peter was both angrier and less angry with him. On one side, he had convinced Peter there was a legitimate reason for him to fear for his life which had Peter concerned. Then on the other side, the reason could be because Neal had in fact committed one of the crimes so enemies were coming after him, which made the situation his own fault, and a possibility that didn't gain any points with the staunch agent.

Knowing it wasn't going to do any good going down that route, Neal shoved his ended relationships with Sara, Mozzie, June, Elizabeth, Peter, and everyone else aside as collateral damage to be dealt with later. He had a job to do, so it wasn't time to deal with his personal feelings.

Turning to the last wall, Neal ran through the case of his family's forged artwork.

This case was still a bit mysterious as well, but he at least had some suspects, theories, and evidence started. The family lawyer, Kendrick, was heavily involved in running the business and overseeing the art collection, so he was the prime suspect with the business being embezzled and the art forged. Their second suspect was the curator because she had to have noticed the changes in the art. For as much as she studied them, she was a leading expert on their authenticity, so having a forgery get past her was rather suspicious.

Pinning another image up in the line, Neal added Kendra Peyton, his brother's girlfriend. She had come on to him at the party insinuating her interest being purely in the money he had allegedly attained. Even the obvious illegal ramifications of him having the treasure didn't seem to bother her, so she seemed like a good potential candidate as well. If she was willing to go after a stolen treasure for financial gain, why not commit a crime?

Having reviewed and refreshed his memory, Neal went back to watching his old security feed records.

Unbeknownst to everyone else, Neal had inserted a high-end security feed into his apartment and the public areas of June's mansion. It gave him heightened security, the ability to check if something felt wrong when he was away, and in situations like this, a way to investigate mysterious happenings without anyone knowing what he could do. There was no guarantee he was going to find anything because he didn't even know if the crime had been committed while his system was in the house, but it at least gave him something to do in the meanwhile.

After all, it was likely to be mid-week before they got the results from the tests on June's vase.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, following my stories and me, choosing to favorite my stories and me, and reviewing/commenting:D


	21. Progress

*******

Walking into the office on Monday, Peter had a laundry list of things to do. Heading for his desk, he didn't pay much attention to Neal's, only a glance to know Neal wasn't in the office quite yet, which meant his plan was working. By arriving early, before anyone else on the team, Peter hoped to get a jump start at collecting his desired information.

Landing in his chair, he turned on his computer and began to sort the files waiting on his desk. Spreading out across the surface, he grouped the piles by case and in the order he wished to review them. Based on the number, he knew it was going to be a long day, so he had brought his lunch in with him.

With his computer finally up and running, it was time to dig in.

Pulling out the first pile, he began to review some new information collected over the weekend. Sometimes he loved the ability to call the office, give a probie the list of things he needed, and then come into his office the next day to find it all ready to go. Sure, he still had more information to compile, but this was definitely a good start.

Arthur Kendrick was the first background check to be perused. Peter didn't find much of interest in his files through the initial information, because it simply described his general family background, education, and employment records. Nothing stood out as suspicious there, so he kept reading. Looking into Kendrick's current situation, things began to get more interesting. The preliminary details on his earning and personal residence alone didn't match up quite right. Based on his income, Kendrick was living beyond his means, but there wasn't any debt flag on the file to match. Feeling his gut kick in, Peter's accounting mind knew they would be poring over the financials to see how he was keeping out of debt, despite his expensive tastes. Sketching out his notes, putting the request for someone to further investigate and collect the financial details, and Peter was ready to put Kendrick's file aside before pulling out the next suspect.

Working through the curator's file wasn't so straight forward and direct. Everything looked normal. She had a basic family history, the education needed for her job, and an excellent work record. Continuing to look through her current living arrangements, her expenses appeared to be modest and she was not only living within her means but was likely able to put a little bit back into savings each year in addition. Her finances appeared to be in order and she seemed to be clean, except the forgery still shouldn't have gotten past her. Less certain as to where they should begin, Peter requested a check for any other financial revenue, secret communication methods, and a further check to see if there was anything suspicious in her family that could be used as leverage against her. With no obvious reason for her to be involved, they were missing something to explain what had happened.

Going through his mental checklist, Peter knew Jones had the government contracts to review and Diana had been going to investigate the art shows and transport crews. Their official investigation was in progress for the moment.

Then he noted that he still needed to check and see if anyone had discovered how Kendra knew about Neal's alleged activities. As the boss, the investigation might be a task better left to himself with assistance from Jones and Diana. He needed to know if Neal was telling the truth and someone was leaking information regarding their investigation, unofficial though it may be, or if he needed to be investigating for connections between Neal and Kendra. Could she be his source inside the Larkin family?

Having gone through the Larkin case, he stacked the folders according to the order he wanted them and set his notes aside for his own information.

Pulling the next stack to the forefront, he tackled June's forgery case.

Per Neal's insight over the weekend, he had ordered an extra deep check into the maid. Although it could be a technique to misdirect his attention in the wrong direction, Neal did have a point in saying she should have noticed something wrong when a fancy vase was left to fade in the sun.

Taking the pages one at a time, she had no prior criminal history, her education was basic with nothing art-related, and none of her immediate associates seemed to raise any flags either. Again, Peter came up with an alternate suspect who didn't appear to be a suspect beyond something Neal had said. Was it just because these criminals were good at passing the first inspection, or was Neal picking people where he could create a reasonable doubt of their innocence?

Rubbing his face in his hands, Peter knew what his problem was. It was Neal. The man seemed like such a perfect suspect, and he had even pointed out reasons for why they could investigate him for the Larkin forgery. Was there really a chance Neal could have committed all of the crimes, or was Peter looking too hard in an effort to find guilt in his CI? And if he was looking too hard, what did it say about him as a friend and agent?

Biting back those thoughts, Peter couldn't allow himself to be distracted by them. If he tried to chase logic in emotions where Neal was concerned, then he would drive himself crazy and never come to any valid conclusion. Instead, it was better to chase the facts and see where they led him, no matter the destination.

With the decision in mind, he went back to work on the cases and tried to see how much more progress he could make before the office got louder with everyone working. It was getting near time for the team to start arriving, so it wouldn't be quiet for much longer.

Focusing back onto June's case, Peter skimmed through the rest of the employee files before dividing out who he wanted to work them. That left the test results which weren't due back until the middle of the week and comparing the information to see what they got.

Hearing a noise in the office, Peter glanced up to see Neal as the next one to arrive. Taking the chance to observe his CI, Peter wondered which of his theories was along the right trail. Although he might not have all of the details, he had to be on the right track with one of them.

*******

Seeing Peter watching him, Neal nodded to the agent before going through his morning routine. If Peter wanted to waste his time watching him start up his computer, then he was the boss, so who was Neal to say otherwise?

As he settled into his own case files, Neal felt Peter grow less interested until he glanced up to see Peter back to focusing on his own work.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Neal was glad Peter was no longer scrutinizing him so heavily, for the moment at least. It reminded him how much he had slipped up over the weekend and the likely hood Peter was trying out some theory or another. Smirking suddenly, Neal couldn't help but wonder how far off of the truth Peter was. The agent might have figured out the simplest of basics, but there was no way he was heading in the right direction as to what was going on. How could the agent even guess?

Hearing the ding of the elevator, he knew the rest of the team was going to be arriving soon. Although he had been rather early at getting into work, apparently he hadn't been the only one with the idea in mind and he was certain the others had similar plans as well.

Sure enough, it didn't take long before Jones and Diana filtered in to begin their work after the busy weekend case. While they processed their notes and began to prepare for the morning meeting, the rest of the team began to stroll in at a growing rate.

Eventually, the office had filled up as the entire team arrived to begin the workweek.

Listening to the hum as he worked on his caseload, Neal had had a productive weekend of sorts. He had worked through hundreds of hours of his security feed on fast forward. It had allowed him to create a form of a routine as to how the maid treated the vase and who else seemed to be around it on any kind of a regular basis. So far, it had confirmed his knowledge of the maid being the only person who handled the vase with any kind of regularity, but it didn't prove she was guilty or provide any other pertinent evidence to the case.

As it drew nearer to the time for their morning meeting, Sara and her team arrived to compare progress after the weekend. They moved up to the conference room and began to set up their information while a few of the local team assisted in combining their efforts.

Continuing to generally ignore their activity, Neal had his notes from the weekend compiled and no particular assignment to pursue, so he focused on his daily allotment of mortgage frauds.

*******

"Neal," Peter called when it was time for the meeting to begin, and Neal still hadn't shown up. That was another noticeable change. Typically Neal would have been getting in the way as he tried to use helping out with the arrangements as an excuse to avoid working his 'boring' mortgage fraud case. Instead, Peter had to get his attention away from the case because it was time for the meeting to start… strange.

Obediently, Neal closed down his work and climbed the stairs to the conference room. Glancing at Peter, he could see him calculating whether or not he was still trying to pull a con on them, or what his motivation was. Did the man forget he was still allotting him with a day's worth of mortgage fraud files in addition to expecting him to work the Larkin case on top of his own investigations? How much time did Peter think he had?

"I have the Larkin case, my daily allotment of mortgage fraud files, and my own investigations into the crimes I am accused of. How much time do you think I have, Peter?" He decided to stop the man from being so suspicious of him at the moment, there were so many other ways for him to better direct his suspicion and observation skills.

Frowning, Peter was surprised Neal was putting so much effort into actually completing all of it. Sure, it was in his best interest to keep on his good side by completing his workload, the Larkin case was an interesting distraction, and he seemed certain the team was looking in the wrong direction on their other cases… but was it all reason enough for Neal to be so focused on mortgage fraud?

Since it wasn't the time to question, Peter let the situation slide and directed Neal to lead the way into the conference room.

Collecting together, the teams took their seats and began to discuss the case.

Once the preliminaries were done, Jones began to describe what he had found in the company contracts. "They are the standard government contracts, so nothing suspicious there. However, Larkin Industries does need to keep clear of criminal activities unless they wish to lose their business and have every inch of their lives investigated. Based on how binding the details are and how invasive those investigations are bound to be, it is in their best interest to avoid such a compromising situation, or they will lose everything. Carrying a debt ratio is a lot less risky, although not a wise move either." Finishing his summary of details, Jones had one less point to make. "This doesn't clear them of suspicion, but it does move them down the ranks of suspects."

Nodding his head, Peter could accept the decision. Once the conversation had finished covering the contracts, he gestured for Sara to cover her progress.

Beginning with the art angle, Sara announced her plans. "Since one piece of art has definitely been forged, I have moved for Sterling and Bosch to test more products and investigate their other art pieces. If there is one, there might be others, and we don't want to write checks for anything that isn't original." She continued to define how the investigation was going to progress along those lines and estimated how long it would be before she would have any further results.

"Keep us updated on your results, especially Diana, so she can coordinate her investigations in the art shows and transport crews for any likely suspects," Hughes ordered. Then he further probed, "Did you get any other information out of the weekend?"

"As a matter of fact, I did." Smiling, she pulled out a different collection of notes. "Walking around the party with Macrae gave a different perspective of the guest. Instead of seeing me as an investigator, many of them simply saw me as another guest and were happy to share all of the gossip they could manage." Flipping through quickly, she found the right page and details she was looking for. "According to several of the people, who also use the services of the curator, she has been acting rather strange lately. For the last several months she has been nervous when she has to make trips to the Larkin's Barnum Estate and appears to be relieved once the trip is done. I have several signed statements where the guest have been visiting each other and have witnessed her emotional state on both ends of a single visit. It still doesn't give a cause for her actions, but it is something to look into." There was nothing else showing signs as to what might have caused the curator to slip, but her attitude depicted either guilt or a hostile environment. It was noteworthy at the very least.

*******

After an interesting morning of exchanged information, Neal found the rest of the day to be rather boring as he had to return to his mortgage frauds for most of the afternoon.

Reaching the end of the day again, Neal headed home making the walk alone… or, rather not so alone after all. Catching sight of his tail, Neal glimpsed Keller trailing him through the evening crowd of pedestrians. Using evasive techniques, he quickly lost Keller while still being able to observe the man from his hiding spot.

It didn't take long before Keller hailed a taxi and left, but Neal sensed that something was very wrong and that this was only the beginning of something yet to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, choosing to favorite, and reviewing/commenting :D


	22. Abduction

*******

Getting into his car, Peter was suddenly worried why there was a phone on his dashboard that didn't belong to him. Checking his back seat, something he should have done before entering the vehicle, Peter made sure he was alone. As the phone rang, he cautiously picked it up to answer.

After the preliminary banter, the voice got to the point. "Treasure rumored to be from a Nazi U-boat has been surfacing on the European black market. Word on the streets is that Caffrey has it."

"What do you want?" Peter growled. Keller was calling him, which was never a good thing.

"I want you to convince our boy Caffrey to share," he seemed too cheerful. Keller had something up his sleeve to use as leverage. Terrified as to what it might be, there was nothing Peter could do for the moment.

"He denies having any involvement and we haven't been able to prove anything, so what makes you think he has it or that I can convince him to share it with you?" Those were the heart of the issue. Part of Peter wondered if he would get any information leading towards evidence, but he also knew Keller wasn't to be trusted.

"A hands-on visual of some of the art pieces, knowledge of Caffrey, and the talk coming from the FBI saying Neal has been all but convicted of possession." Keller was smugly certain Neal was guilty, enough to tease the FBI agent determined to put him back behind bars.

"You didn't answer how I would be able to convince Neal to share it with you, or why I would want him to?" Peter's terror was barely reigned in as Keller drew out their conversation.

"How about you go home and relax and think about it? Perhaps the familiar environment will help you to figure it out." With his cryptic comment, the line went dead, and Peter's heart stopped. Home. The only person there was Elizabeth, but she had been fine when he ended their conversation a few moments before. Unable to reign in his terror, Peter started the car and headed straight for home while trying to reach his wife. As the line continued to be unanswered, he dreaded what he was going to find.

Pulling into a parking spot, Peter barely pulled his keys from the ignition as he made a dash for the house.

Reaching the front door, he couldn't see any signs of forced entry, but then it would have been closer to the kitchen to enter through the back door.

Heading straight for the kitchen, he nearly fell from the sight greeting him. Spaghetti sauce dripped from the oven like blood and the mess obviously showed there had been a struggle.

Keller had taken Elizabeth!

*******

After Keller had left, Neal pulled out his cell phone and called in to report his sighting of Keller.

Walking the rest of the way to the hotel, they speculated what Keller's motive might be and tried to put precautions into place for anything they could. By the time Neal had reached his room, there was nothing else to do for the moment.

Pulling out some food and heating it up, he didn't entirely mind being back to microwavable meals some nights. They were quick and easy to prepare as well as filling enough to suit his needs. Anything beyond wasn't necessary with so much going on.

Settling in to continue his investigations, Neal didn't get far before he received Peter's call. Surprised to be invited over to the Burkes, ordered was a better application though, Neal agreed instantly.

"Jones should be pulling up, so he will give you a ride." Peter hung up on him, but there was something in the tone indicating it wasn't a friendly dinner with the team.

Shooting off a text, Neal had a feeling he was about to discover what Keller's plans for being in the city were.

Going out to the street, he reached the curb just as Jones pulled up to it. Climbing into the passenger seat without saying anything, Neal buckled up as the car reentered traffic and sped toward the Burkes.

Sensing how seething mad Jones was, Neal didn't bother trying to talk and instead focused on his phone as it occasionally dinged with responses to his ongoing conversation.

Arriving at their destination, Neal wasn't surprised to see several police and agency vehicles swarming over the place. Keller had abducted Elizabeth after all.

Based on what had happened and his knowledge of Peter, Neal knew exactly where to find the agent. Making his way through the crowds of investigators, he reached the dining room and Peter fairly quickly.

"Peter, SWAT's been deployed throughout New York and HRTt's on standby. We've got aerial, ground, marine, electronic surveillance all up. Checkpoints are everywhere," Diana was reporting to Peter.

Although Peter didn't look relieved, it was good news how quickly they had been able to react, which also meant Keller couldn't have gotten far. Seeing Neal, Peter's face changed slightly.

"Neal, I need to talk to you," his voice was almost emotionless for all of the emotion in it.

Following Peter without question, Neal wasn't afraid, even though he knew Peter wasn't his usual self at the moment. Still, he was slightly surprised when Peter got physical by shoving him up against the wall by his collar. He had experienced that kind of treatment before, but never from a friend, and never with such hatred in their eyes.

"He took my wife!" Peter's hot breath blasted him in the face.

A ringing cell phone distracted Peter as he dropped his grip on Neal to answer the call, "It's him."

Pressing the button to answer, Peter focused on what Keller was saying.

"Agent Burke, if you're smart, and we both know you are, you'll keep the FBI off this call."

Unable to help it, Peter pointed out, "I am FBI."

Always having an answer, Keller responded, "No. Now you're just a man who wants his wife back."

Looking for proof of life as well as a means for Elizabeth to relay a message, Peter played the game, "Let me talk to her."

"And why would I let you do that?" Keller wasn't stupid. Obviously, the Burkes were going to exchange a message in the proof of life. It was the standard operating procedure, and these were also smart people. At the very least, he might be able to limit how long of a message they got through, but anything was going to be a message.

Holding his ground, Peter needed to know Elizabeth was okay. It was his primary objective, but a message would also be helpful in getting her back, "I want to hear her voice."

In the background, Peter could hear Keller give the standard warning against messages, and then Elizabeth was on the line, "Hi, hon."

Breathing suddenly made it feel like some of the black spots that had been dancing before his eyes were diminishing. It was just a momentary reprieve, but Peter fully felt the effects all the same. "Hi, hon. You all right?" He kept it brief despite the many things he wanted to say.

"Yeah, I-I'm okay. They haven't hurt me." She stuttered a little bit. Not being hurt didn't mean she wasn't scared, "I miss you."

"I miss you, too." Peter tried to convey everything he wanted to say into the emotion behind those words.

Then it was time to pass her message along. "Will you make sure Satchmo's okay? You know how he is if he hasn't' eaten." It seemed innocent enough to Keller but would give Peter a lead.

As Keller took the phone back Peter ended up talking to air. "I'll fix this, El. El?"

"You two kids are tugging on my heartstrings here. So nice to see a married couple showing love after all this time. I'd hate to come between that," Keller pretended to be heartbroken.

Playing along, Peter reigned in his hatred for the moment as it wasn't going to do any good if he released it at the man holding his wife, "So let her go."

Getting back to business, Keller ended the call. "I will. As soon as you hold up your end of it. The moment I have Caffrey's treasure, she's all yours. You have twelve hours." He didn't need to add the additional implication of what would happen should Peter fail, it was obvious.

Focusing on Elizabeth's clue, Peter checked Satchmo over and directed Jones to take the dog so they could retrieve the DNA off of his fur.

With that taken care of, Peter turned back to Neal and his anger had a direction to vent. "Keller wants you to hand him the treasure within twelve hours, or he is going to kill Elizabeth."

Holding his ground and standing still, Neal wasn't focused on their shattering friendship. There was a life at stake, which was his foremost priority. "I never had the treasure, so we are going to have to be creative…" Before Peter could land into him for holding back, Neal redirected the conversation towards making a plan. "Is there any way Keller could know what was on the U-boat?"

"You… you are going to try pulling a con on Keller… when he has Elizabeth's life at stake?" Peter couldn't believe his ears.

"What else am I supposed to do? I never took the treasure, never had it, and have no idea what happened to it after Adler dropped us off beyond the fact I was showered with debris after it blew up. You're the one with all of the evidence and information, so I'm asking you if there is any way Keller could know what it contained." Neal couldn't believe Peter still thought he would hold out, even with a life hanging in the balance.

The accusations could wait until after Elizabeth was safe, so Peter followed Neal's lead of trying to find a way of getter her back. "He did say treasure rumored to be from the U-boat was turning up in Europe and he has seen it in person."

"Rumored? Okay, we can work with that. Remember the painting I had been working on before Adler abducted us? The original was on the U-boat, so we can use it to buy time. All I will have to do is cover up my signature with the original artist's and put an identifier for any other agency who encounters it." He was moving into plans and theories. His paintings could be used in part, for packaged bulk if nothing else, and maybe he could get some help coming up with enough other valuables to appease Keller?

Going stiff at Neal's mention of the painting, Peter really hoped he could take him to his copy because it would give them something to work with, but it would also give a reason for him to believe Neal in his declaration of innocence. "Then let's go get the painting. Where are we going?"

Heading back out to his car, Peter wasn't surprised someone had at least closed the door and taken care of his vehicle. Climbing into the driver seat, he put the address into his GPS as Neal gave it to him. Reaching their destination, he found a parking spot and followed Neal.

"I drive past this building every morning." Peter couldn't believe he was so close to Neal's secret stash and had never known it before.

"These are just copies and a few originals I paint in my downtime to deal with stress or simply for something to do. There is nothing important or special to them." Neal didn't see why Peter was interested in the location; it wasn't like he kept a bunch of incriminating evidence on Peter's morning route to work.

Entering the code and opening the lock, Neal was shocked to see the place barren, literally cleaned out as he couldn't even find the blank canvases he stored there. "What the…?" Suddenly everything made sense to Neal. The treasure was stolen, it had actually been pieces of his canvas raining down on him, and he was the prime suspect because he had been framed.

Although a part of Peter noted how shocked Neal appeared to be at discovering his art gone, he was more furious to discover they had nothing. Turning to Neal, he again vented his fury at him. "If this is a trick Neal, so help me, I will put you back in prison and throw away the key!"

Ignoring his stolen possessions, Neal had to come up with a new plan. "I think it's time to call Mozzie and see if he has something we can use to buy time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, commenting/reviewing, and leaving kudos :D


	23. Decoy

*******

At first Peter waited for Neal to pull out his phone and dial, but then he remembered that the two supposedly weren't speaking. With a frustrated growl, he pulled out his phone and dialed before placing it on speaker. He wasn't in a mood to deal with the conspiracy theorist's ranting, but Mozzie wouldn't speak to Neal either.

"Suit," Mozzie answered simply.

"Keller has Elizabeth. We have twelve hours to give him the treasure…" Peter kept it plain and simple.

"Is he still denying having ever taken the treasure?" Mozzie asked about their formerly mutual friend.

"He is standing right here, and he isn't only denying it, he never took it. On top of that, someone seems to have cleared out my stash as all of my copies, originals, and even my blank canvases are gone." Neal was willing to handle the conversation to spare Peter the frustrations, but he knew Mozzie didn't currently trust him either.

Saying the address for their current location, Peter had Mozzie verify it as the stash location. At least Neal was telling the truth there.

"What is the plan now?" Mozzie asked. He wasn't fully up to date on what was going on.

Answering the question, Neal began to outline the basics. "We are going to need something we can use as a decoy in order to buy time with Keller. If we can get enough, the team should hopefully be able to find Elizabeth and remove his leverage."

"If we can't…?" Mozzie asked the question Peter couldn't get the strength to face.

"Then I will face Keller." Neal knew he was risking blowing an element of what he was supposed to be doing, but he wasn't going to risk a life if he could help it.

"He'll kill you!" Mozzie exclaimed which had Peter's heart stopping again. As much as he hated Neal for any involvement he might have had in causing their current situation, he didn't want to see him dead either.

"So be it. Then I'll at least try to make him work for it to buy time. Either way, getting Elizabeth home safe is the only thing that matters here." Neal had no emotion for his own safety, which scared the other two.

"Is the treasure really worth going that far?" Mozzie questioned while Peter still couldn't speak.

Growling himself, Neal was moving beyond frustrated with their continued belief in his guilt. "How many times do I have to tell you? I. Don't. Have. The treasure!" He grounded out each word. "If I had ten such treasures, I would give them up, but I barely have the clothes on my back and my life. Keller doesn't seem like he would have much use for a basic suit, so that doesn't leave me with much to offer does it?" Turning away from them, he paced across the room for a moment to calm down.

Returning to the phone, he was back to business. "Do you have anything that would suffice as a decoy?"

Interested in keeping Neal alive, despite their differences, Mozzie started coming up with ways he could get merchandise to offer Keller. It would nearly wipe him out as well, but he also had a soft spot for Elizabeth.

"Make sure they are spread out over several locations," Neal instructed. He had the plan, just not the product. Walking across the room, he pulled out his phone to send off a message requesting further assistance.

"Thanks, Mozzie," Peter didn't know what else to say. Sure, he was agreeing to hand stolen merchandise over to Keller, but anything was better than a body count.

*******

When Mozzie walked into the room, he looked around and confirmed that the place was indeed empty of its typical contents. "Did you move out?" He couldn't help but crack.

Sighing in frustration, Neal didn't answer. "What do you have in mind Mozzie?"

"It's not much, because needing period art restricts what I can use, but I have managed to get a basic collection that should give us a decent start. How do you plan on using this to distract Keller?" Mozzie threw the idea back at Neal.

"Our first move will be to buy time with moving the treasure. It wouldn't be surprising to have it stashed in multiple locations in order to avoid it being compromised. All the eggs in one basket type thing." Neal shrugged as he began to sketch out the general plan.

Mozzie wandered off for a moment to poke around the other side of the room. So much was happening so quickly, he needed to take a few moments to absorb it all.

"So, we are going to tell Keller we need more time because you placed the treasure at multiple locations for safekeeping in case one was compromised." Peter breathed. It was an understandable conclusion, but then Neal specialized in such ploys. "Is this con coming from a place of truth, or is it simply spur of the moment?"

Pausing to glare at Peter, Neal almost didn't answer. Thinking better of it, "Neither, I have been running through various scenarios ever since I knew Keller had Elizabeth…"

"And what good has it done for you?" Peter snarled back. He was still angry at Neal and pulling a con with him wasn't helping.

"It means I know several possible outcomes for this situation, and I have done everything I can to ensure the best one happens." At Peter's questioning look, Neal continued, "No matter the costs."

His eyes widening and his jaw clenching, Peter was afraid of how much it could cost. "Neal…" But Elizabeth meant more to him, she was his wife.

"Don't Peter, this is what I do," Neal slipped.

Noticing Neal's eyes widening slightly, Peter understood that Neal had slipped. How could his work, that supposedly wasn't criminal, involve protecting people at the risk of his life?

Ignoring his slip, Neal figured it would draw less attention to it if he pretended it wasn't a big deal. Still, he really needed to be careful, because Peter was in a bad place at the moment. Glancing back, he could see the pinched expression indicating his slip had been heard, but couldn't be placed yet. On the bright side, Peter might figure out something of the truth, which would be a long term boost towards repairing their friendship.

Having finished his poking around, Mozzie returned to the conversation. "And how are you going to get in touch with Keller to put this plan into action?"

"Call him back," Neal didn't think it was a hard one to come up with. Turning to walk out the door, Neal led the way to Peter's car.

Trying to breathe, Peter knew the situation was rolling, despite his worry about where it was going to end up. Following Neal and Mozzie, Peter exited the warehouse to head towards their rendezvous point.

Calling Keller on the way, Peter arranged to meet him at the first location where they were going to give him a box of valuables.

"If you cross me…" Keller had threatened.

Sinking into the driver's seat, Peter took a moment to try and regain his composure. This situation was going to get his blood pressure up higher than any other case ever had.

"He is going to meet us there," Peter said in response to the two questioning glances. "Let's get this over with." Putting the car into gear, he entered traffic and headed for their destination.

*******

Walking into the storage unit, the three men were talking amongst themselves.

"You picturing yourself shooting Keller right now?" Neal asked to start the conversation.

"No. I don't want to shoot him." Peter denied it before telling the truth. "I want to smash in his face repeatedly." He clenched his fists at the mental image. Although he wasn't usually violent, the man had kidnapped his wife.

"I'm currently sticking bamboo under his fingernails," Mozzie has his own imaginings to share.

Cocking his head, Neal knew Mozzie had his loyalties. Keller had kidnapped Elizabeth and Mozzie wasn't happy. "You are one for the classics." He wasn't really sure if Mozzie would ever be able to actually perform such torture, but he was definitely able to think it.

Popping out into view, Keller showed them he was present. "You guys talking about me? Cause my ears are burning."

Standing up to each other, the animosity was thick. Keller antagonized Peter and the others had to keep the agent from reacting. Once they got through it though, Mozzie directed Neal to lead the way to his storage unit.

"Unit 101," Neal said as he walked over to the correct door. While Keller was talking, Neal used the key Mozzie had palmed him to open the door.

"The score of a lifetime. How does it feel to watch me take it, Caffrey?" Keller turned his focus onto Neal in an effort to antagonizing him.

Not rising to the bait, Neal wasn't worried about the man for himself. Instead, he chose to ignore the jibe and watch his friends' backs. Shrugging, he focused more heavily on observing Keller in the hopes of catching some small hint of where he had been. All there was to see was some basic smudges on the edge of his shoes from walking, the hints from where he had been smoking, and his typical clothing, so there wasn't much to go on. If there were any clues on him, they weren't in Neal's line of sight.

With no response, Keller tried again. "Must have been hard for you, Caffrey, huh? Lying to your friend's face about having the treasure all this time?"

Keeping his cool and continuing to ignore Keller's efforts to get a rise out of him, Neal was more worried about how Peter would take the line. He believed Neal had been lying to him, so what would he think with this supposed proof?

"Enough with the chit chat," Peter grouched. The man had his wife, and then he chose to yank their chains? It was too much. Despite how much he wanted to question Neal himself, it could wait until after he had his wife back.

Distracting Keller with the open door, Neal had the perfect means of gaining his attention back. "This is what you are looking for. Take it so we can move on."

"What do we have here?" The distraction worked as Keller became focused on rooting through his prize.

"Hey, Napoleon brought that back from his Egypt expedition. It was in his private collection." Mozzie said as Keller began to dig through the limited items.

When Keller looked at him suspiciously, Mozzie defended himself, "I'm a student of history." He shrugged to play off his knowledge as unsuspicious.

"Relax Mozzie. This belongs to me now." Keller wasn't too upset with him. He knew Mozzie would have been involved, or at the very least knowledgeable of Caffrey's activities.

Standing around for a moment, they watched as Keller enjoyed his ill-gotten gains. Then Peter's phone rang and he was called into the office.

Taking advantage of the excuse, Neal used it as a means of getting them away from Keller. It wasn't going to be a long term means of delaying the situation, but Neal hoped to use it as much as he possibly could.

The three walked back out of the warehouse and split up to prepare for the next stage of their operation.

Since Keller had to transport the first collection, it gave Mozzie time to arrange for the next one before they would need to hand it over. Neal was to arrange for an additional distraction that couldn't be an obvious ploy, as Keller was notorious for seeing through cons. Peter was left with the task of being the liaison to the FBI as he responded to their call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, following, leaving kudos, and commenting/reviewing :D


	24. Distraction

*******

Morning. Thought you could use a fresh cup," Jones said as he entered Peter">

Accepting the wake-up call, Peter happily took the brew. "Thanks, Jones."

Beginning to brief their boss, Diana had her own wake-up call for him. Passing over her file folder, she introduced the contents. "DNA results came back on the blood from Satchmo. It wasn't Keller's."

"Leonard Grant," Peter read through the preliminary information.

Continuing to describe what they had found, Jones summarized. "Grant has a history of unpredictable violence. He has a long rap sheet, including kidnapping."

Glancing up between scanning the pages, Peter commented. "Looks like the kind of guy Keller would love."

"Exactly. We're looking into his former contacts now, tracing his financial history." In imitation of Peter, Jones had his hands on his hips as he continued to report.

"Good," Peter was glad to hear the team not only had a lead but were making progress in following it.

Exchanging glances, Jones left the office while Diana remained behind.

"Boss, is there anything I can do for you?" It didn't matter what he asked of her, she would do it.

Rolling his head back and forth, Peter couldn't even begin to figure out what to ask for. Instead, he settled for nothing, "Oh… exactly what you're doing. There isn't anyone I trust more to spearhead this than you and Jones."

Deciding it was time to scratch her curious itch, Diana finally moved towards asking her question. "What about Caffrey?" She watched as Peter paused and sat up straighter. His eyes rose to look up at her, which said there was something up. "He has the treasure, doesn't he? That's what Keller's after, and you're working that angle."

Shaking his head slightly, Peter didn't want to drag Diana into what he was doing. "The less you know, the better right now. Thanks, Diana."

Understanding, Diana knew Peter shaking his head meant she wasn't quite right in her assumption. Still, any further inquiry would have to wait until after they had Elizabeth home safely. "Okay." She turned and left Peter's office with the knowledge the situation would probably come back up later.

After watching Diana walking out of his office, Peter shifted his attention until he was looking over the file again. It scared him to know that this man with such a violent history was now holding his wife as a hostage. Running his hands through his hair, Peter tried to keep his composure. Jones and Diana would work every lead tirelessly, Mozzie was handing over his vault of stolen merchandise, and even Neal was threatening to risk his life for her sake.

Once Elizabeth was safely in his arms, Peter was determined to place Neal under house arrest. First, Neal told him someone was going to kill him. Then, Neal seemed to be volunteering to risk his life. The repeated reference to Neal dying was making Peter scared. What was going through Neal's mind and causing him to be so reckless with his own life?

*******

Arriving at the warehouse for their second location, Neal walked in with Mozzie but allowed the smaller man to take the lead. Part of him wanted to talk to his little friend in an effort to try and build a bridge for the future, but then he also didn't want to bring Mozzie any closer to the impending danger either.

Noticing his companion's silence, Mozzie kept an observant eye on him. He was curious about what Neal was up to, so he chose to watch him for a while.

It was a silent battle of wills. Neal was hoping Mozzie would remain angry with him, while Mozzie was trying to discern what Neal was up to.

The two teamed up to pull together anything passing for period art. It didn't take them too long to compile another box by working together.

As they were ready to leave the warehouse, Mozzie gave in and decided to share his observations. "You didn't steal the treasure… did you?"

"What finally tipped you off?" Neal continued to walk, but he was closely observing Mozzie through his peripherals. "You have been as adamant about my guilt as anyone else."

Ducking his head, Mozzie had to admit the truth about what had been running through his mind. "We have been friends for several years, Neal. I know you aren't one to pass up opportunities, particularly ones as beneficial as the ownership of a treasure, so I figured you would have obtained it if you could have. The suit was so certain you were the person in procession… and I was hurt you wouldn't share." Shaking his head, the little guy knew he needed to further explain why he had treated Neal the way he had. "It comes down to the belief you would be the most likely to have managed the theft, and I was hurt by the appearance of your unwillingness to share." He paused to think over how mislead his beliefs had been.

"I appreciate your belief in my abilities, but you still haven't answered my question." Neal tried to redirect him back to the present part of their conversation.

"Your willingness to risk your life for Elizabeth; for a much as you might be willing to withhold something of value from a friend, you would never withhold it at the cost of another friend's life." He made his point.

"As happy as I am to hear that Mozzie, you still have to stay away." Neal tried to warn him softly, but he should have known better.

"Why? Are there other threats in addition to Keller?" Mozzie caught onto the possibility.

Frowning and showing obvious displeasure, Neal sometimes wished his friends weren't as intelligent. "Yes, but it's best for you to continue being the shadow man on this one. Let's just say I don't know all of the details, Peter is aware there is something going on, but there is no way I want to endanger you in any way."

"So, you're keeping me out of this for my protection?" Mozzie wondered when Neal decided he didn't need his help anymore. "Am I irrelevant then?"

"If it wouldn't put you in danger, then you would be the first person I would ask for help." Neal tried to appease him with the half-truth. Mozzie would be the first criminal person he would look to for help, but maybe not the first person in general.

"Why do I feel like there was something more to what you said?" Mozzie was trying to understand more of what Neal was doing.

Tilting his head, Neal knew Mozzie was seeing right through him. "Who I would look to first would depend on which side of the law I needed assistance from."

Bobbing his head, Mozzie liked that better. "Thank you for your honesty. That sounds more like what I would expect. After all, we both know you tend to turn to Peter first if you want to handle the situation his way."

Relieved, Neal was glad Mozzie didn't dig any further into who he would turn to for legal assistance. If Mozzie had even a hint, Neal feared the man might disappear. Although the man was a criminal, he was a good friend.

Continuing the conversation, Mozzie moved on to the next part. "What is going to happen from here?"

"You're going to continue to be mad at me, not say anything to anyone, and keep your distance from me," Neal almost ordered. "Keep acting as if nothing has changed."

Dumbfounded, Mozzie was almost angrier. "How can you risk your life, and not ask any of us for help?"

"Who says I haven't asked anyone for help? Just because I'm not talking to some people, doesn't mean I am not talking to other people." Neal said in an aside to himself, but loudly enough Mozzie still heard it. He wanted his friends to know he wasn't suicidal or going it alone, even though he couldn't detail how he was taking precautions.

Although Mozzie didn't specify what he thought about the comment, he did store it in his mind for future conversations. Neal had said the suit knew something about the situation, so maybe they should have a conversation to fill each other in on what they knew. Since Neal wasn't going to share, they could make an effort to fill each other in.

Playing along with Neal, Mozzie walked and continued to work with him in an effort to set up other drop locations. They needed to have several in place to keep Keller busy, but they also didn't want to allow him to blow through them too quickly.

*******

"This is my fault," Neal was saying. He knew his continued reputation for having stolen the treasure was causing the situation and placing Elizabeth in danger. If only he had taken the effort to clear his name more seriously, or done something to help ensure the safety of his friends…  


"Keller kidnapped Elizabeth. You didn't. Remember that." Peter said in a clipped tone as he walked into their meeting place.

"What did the FBI say?" It was a distraction. Neal didn't want Peter to forgive him yet. He needed him to be angry for his own safety. Sure, the words weren't forgiveness, but they weren't accusing either, so it was progress.  


"They have a lead, but they need more time." Peter was endeavoring to keep his emotions out of the situation. Getting personal was only going to cloud his judgment and increase the odds his wife would die.

Turning to Mozzie, Peter asked. "Where is the next drop point?"

"It's in a secure facility I set up with some associates." Mozzie calmly stated.

Sharing the beginnings of an idea, Peter was planning ahead. "What if we stalled Keller without appearing to stall him?"

Having already made preparations to execute such a plan, Neal was way ahead of them. "Well, it'd have to be something out of our control. Keller's not an easy one to con."

"Why don't you ask those other people who are helping you since you won't come to us for assistance?" Mozzie asked. "Keller would have to think we were operating in good faith, so having someone separate from us make the move would be a good cover."

"Other people?" Peter asked as he turned back and forth between the two of them. Apparently, he had forgotten his earlier conversation with Neal, in which he mentioned there begin someone behind his actions and protecting him.

"Yes it would, which is why I have had them on speed dial the entire time, and why such a move is already in place. There will be a call placed to the cops at a timely moment during the next drop." Neal shared a hint of what he had in place.

"Neal, what other people is he talking about?" Peter was getting angry to be ignored.

"Apparently, he isn't sharing the details of the threats on his life with us, but he assures me he is sharing them with someone else. Who is a mystery to me as well." Mozzie answered in the absence of Neal's response.

Turning to Neal, Peter confronted him again. "And I'm assuming you still can't tell me who these people are, or what is going on, can you?" He was almost sarcastic in his anger.

"We've had this conversation already. The fact I have told either of you this much is saying something of my esteem for you," Neal ended the discussion.

Giving Neal his patented look saying he was trying to see through him, Peter held his ground for a moment before deciding it was another one of those mysteries that would take time to sort through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, reviewing/commenting, following, and choosing to favorite :D


	25. Duck Hunt

*******

Walking through the facility, Neal led Keller, Peter, and Mozzie to the storage unit they were using for the drop. It didn't take long to open the door and he allowed Keller to verify the contents of their container. Standing there and watching as Keller riffled through the box, Neal couldn't help but shudder slightly as he watched. It was time to begin their next distraction since they were running out of 'treasure,' but it was going to be risky.

Right on time, the cops walked through and went about arresting a couple of people who were poking around a unit further down the row. Calling it in, they were going to have the place swarming with additional police forces in no time.

The group had to evacuate the facility quickly, or risk getting caught in the roundup. After they were outside, they stood by and watched how things played out

Although Keller didn't physically turn on them, his tone said they were going to be in trouble. "You guys did this."

"You think I would play games with my wife's life on the line?" Peter almost deadpanned. He was restraining himself from killing Keller. They needed to get his wife back safely which meant keeping the man alive.

"This wasn't us," Neal added in because it wasn't them. It was his contacts he arranged this with, the others weren't involved.

"So, what, this is just some random misfortune?" Keller started to question. His voice showed he was going to lose his control if they yanked him around too much.

"We made a deal, Keller. You have the bulk of the treasure, release my wife." Peter had a subtle growl to his voice. Things were spiraling out of control and he was getting worried.

"The cops do. They're setting up a perimeter, which means they'll open every container." Keller started to describe the obstacles they were facing. He tended to line the pieces up so he could knock them down, after ensuring he had found the best way to do so of course.

"Well, the police will need warrants to get into them. That should buy us some time." They were reacting to the stress by channeling it into problem-solving. Peter led them to the next step by starting a plan. It still needed tweaked, because this was just the next installment and not the last of the treasure, but it was something.

"For what?" Keller was calming down again, but then he was good at hiding his feelings.

"The three of you do what you do best, steal it." Getting into a stride, Peter was feeling better with a plan. If they could use this distraction to keep Keller occupied long enough, then maybe his team would find her safely before things got out of control.

Looking thoughtful, Keller stared off into the middle distance, and then looked down as he turned the staff in his hand. "Not the three of us. The four of us." Turning to Peter, he touched the staff to his chest as an indication he wasn't going to trust him if he wasn't going to participate.

Peter had to participate in stealing the stolen goods in order to keep Keller from harming his wife.

*******

They had successfully pulled off their part in the heist, so Peter and Mozzie were pacing along the street.

Trying to get a hold of Neal, Peter called him yet again. Getting his voicemail, he hung up without leaving a message. "Neal's not picking up. I think something went wrong." He was trying not to panic. Not only did Keller have his wife, but he seemed to have done something to his best friend… estranged best friend, but the best friend he had ever had all the same.

When his phone went off, Peter got hopeful, "Neal?" He answered without looking.

"Disappointed?" The best sound he had ever heard came through the line. She sounded amused and was happy to talk with him.

Breathing out the worst of his stress, Peter smiled into the phone, "El."

"She's okay?" Mozzie asked from beside him.

"I'm safe," Those words were confirmation that Peter's world was still turning. He lost himself for a few moments as he talked to her.

Then she asked a question and dropped him back to Earth. "Where's Keller?" It reminded him of his second concern. Neal was with the killer, and he wasn't answering any attempts at contact.

Sharing what had him worried; Peter updated her on his situation, "He's with Neal." Shaking his head slightly, he gritted his teeth a little. The kid was going to give him gray hair early. "I can't get a hold of him."

"Go get him," Elizabeth ordered. She knew Peter needed to have his people home safe too before he could settle down and relax with her. Neal was a special case though because even when he was home, Peter worried about him. Still, Peter would be more inclined to relax if Neal wasn't in the presence of a murderer.

When Peter tried to argue with her, she repeated her order, "Then come back to me." He wasn't the only one needing to curl up on the couch in his lover's arms.

Ending the conversation with his wife, Peter switched into work mode and focused on trying to find Neal. "Mozzie, we need to figure out where Keller's headed."

"Oh, way ahead of you, Suit. I've already mapped out potential escape routes." The little man continued to point out where Keller was likely to go and which route he was likely to take.

Dividing and conquering, Peter sent Mozzie to lead some agents in one direction, while he took the other direction. Hoping to find Neal alright, Peter rushed to the rescue as quickly as he could.

*******

Tracing the likely route, Peter came upon a building that appeared to be abandoned. Cruising past with his windows down, he was horrified to hear gunfire reverberating through the area. After parking and calling for backup, he made his approach. Neal was his partner and he was going to protect him the best he possibly could.

Following the general protocol for making an entry, Peter carefully walked into the building and made his way towards the fighting.

After an arduous walkthrough back hallways, the building opened up into a loading dock with high ceilings, pillars around the edges, and piles of stuff that had been long forgotten judging by the thickness of the dust.

Getting his bearings, Peter could tell he was getting close to where the sounds had been coming from, but there wasn't any shooting at the moment.

Then Keller walked into sight. As much as Peter wished he had a gun to pull the trigger, he couldn't kill an unsuspecting man in cold blood… even one such as Keller.

Stepping forwards, Peter paused as he heard another voice. "I thought you were trying to kill me, Keller. Based on how poor your aim is, I would say you couldn't hit me, even if I were to walk towards you in the open." The voice goaded Keller to keep his focus on him.

"Neal…" Peter whispered to himself in terror. True to his word, Neal was continuing to buy time for Elizabeth by making Keller work in his effort to kill him. And based on what had been said, he had been trying with bullets. Unsure of whether his emotions were more concerned for Neal's safety, or furious with the idiot for playing such a dangerous game, Peter knew he wasn't going to let his CI get away with this. No matter how the cases ended, Neal needed to be alive to either face justice for his actions or to hopefully forgive him for his suspicions. There wasn't an acceptable alternative, especially not one where Neal was six feet under instead.

"Then why don't we try that out and see if my aim improves. It's hard to gauge whether I am missing for poor aim, or for your speed at ducking behind obstacles." Keller goaded Neal in return.

Seeing Neal walking into the open wasn't helping Peter's stress level or blood pressure. His heart was in his throat and his stomach was in his shoes. It was like his mind shut off for the few horrible seconds as he watched what happened next.

Aiming carefully for each shot, Keller still managed to fire off his remaining rounds quickly and accurately. Each bullet was on a straight path for Neal's torso.

Switching to autopilot, Peter began the silent walk forwards to where he could try and get the drop on Keller. It would be too late, but he had to arrest the murderer for what he had done, and what he was in the process of doing.

As he moved to a better vantage point, Peter couldn't believe his eyes as Neal simply swung from side to side… almost like he was dancing to a silent tune only heard in his mind. Was he crazy? Who would walk into the open while a murderer fired repeated rounds at him?

Then Keller clicked the trigger as the chambers of his gun were empty. He had wasted all of his ammunition in an effort to try and kill Neal.

"See, you didn't manage to hit me when I was walking towards you unarmed and in the open. For as many times as you have successfully murdered other victims, this doesn't look too good for your skills. Perhaps you just got in a few lucky shots those other times?" Neal returned the goading again.

Unable to breathe just yet, Peter stepped into the open. "You're under arrest Keller," he growled.

"Easy there, Burke, huh? I got the wife. Remember that," Keller turned to focus on him.

Looking at Neal from his peripherals, Peter could see he didn't appear to be injured too badly, but there was some blood on the side of his head dripping down from some kind of injury. Then looking at the kid's face, he saw an expression that wasn't typical to him. It was like an agent determined to walk into danger in an effort to protect someone else. Something between pride and terror stirred again. He was proud Neal had worked so hard to protect his wife, but he was terrified of the manner in which he had gone about it.

Although he wasn't reassured yet, Peter knew Neal was still standing under his own power, so he put his full focus back onto Keller. Proving Elizabeth was safe, he verified his knowledge of where she had been held by commenting on the area. Then he redirected the conversation to pointing out how Keller was out of luck and in trouble. "I have already called back up, and based on those clicks your gun is empty," Peter said as he continued to walk closer to Keller. He was keeping his eyes on the man as he might have a backup weapon or a knife, but he didn't seem to be reaching for them if he did.

"They aren't here yet, and that doesn't mean that I am unarmed," Keller said as he whipped out his knife and lunged for Peter.

Engaging him in combat, Peter fought to defend himself from the onslaught. Keller was a capable fighter and he was emotional, so the fight was proving to be a close one. Then Neal pulled another surprising move that neither Peter nor Keller had expected.

Catching Keller's arm mid-swing, Neal managed to disengage his grip forcing him to drop the knife. Then with Keller unarmed, Neal assisted Peter until they had the man pinned the floor and physically restrained.

Directing Neal to take over part of the restraining, Peter pulled out his phone and directed the team as to where they could be found. Then he informed them that Keller was technically in custody, but they needed cuffs to completely restrain him.

Since it was going to be a few moments before the team made it to their location; Peter took advantage of the chance to begin questioning Neal. "What was that? You walked out into the open while he was firing at you?"

"Duck Hunt. It's a game a friend of mine and I used to play sometimes." Neal calmly stated. "The ducks would fly out of the grass and the player, or hunter, would have to shoot as many of them as possible."

"So you thought it was a good idea to be a lone duck facing the hunter?" Peter couldn't believe it. Neal was treating his life like a game!

"No. But he didn't get me, and it helped to buy time." Neal continued to speak eerily calm about risking his life.

"If he didn't get you, then why is there a stream of blood running down your face?" Peter questioned in concern.

"That was the pipe before the bullets…" Neal shrugged again. "How else do you think he brought me here without my consent?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, leaving kudos, following me, and choosing to favorite :D


	26. House Arrest

*******

Once the team had arrived to take Keller away, and after Neal refused an ambulance, Peter yanked Neal over into the corner where they could talk in private. "Now, you are going to finish describing what happened after we left," he ordered.

Describing the heist, Neal answered directly and straight forward. Then he proceeded to explain why he had a stream of blood running down his face. "Keller clocked me with a pipe at the storage unit when we were preparing to leave with the truck," Neal shrugged.

Getting rather angry, Peter poked Neal with a finger to his chest. To avoid hurting him, he kept his voice to a low growl, "Now you listen to me, Neal. You are going to get your head checked out, and then you are going home where you will remain until notified otherwise." He paused to take a breath as the memories of what had happened still had him struggling to keep his composure. "And if I ever see you pulling a stunt like that again…" the sentence was left hanging as he wasn't sure which threat to use.

Defending himself, Neal stood up to Peter. "June evicted me, so I don't have the suits or the million-dollar view to take. You and the team are working diligently to prove me guilty of a laundry list of crimes, so our friendship isn't much of a target, and he probably figures my freedom will be gone soon enough. I don't have the treasure and never did. What else do I have to give, Peter?"

Feeling his heart jump before plummeting, Peter didn't know how to respond at first. It hurt him how Neal was pushing him away. Sure, he had been pushing Neal away for weeks, but it wasn't pleasant to be pushed away in return.

Seeing Peter's expression, Neal knew he wasn't happy with the appearance of him throwing his life away. "Maybe we can be friends again later, once the truth comes out, but right now we both know we are closer to agent and con as long as you are so certain of my guilt."

"Neal…" He was still there, right? Neal still had reason to live. Despite the problems they were having, there was still the history of friendship that no disagreement could get rid of.

"No, Peter. You are determined to find the truth, so keep digging and get whoever is guilty, because it won't be me. Then we'll talk," Neal stared him down. He needed to push Peter away again. Although their friendship wasn't anywhere near being fixed, Peter was worried enough to drop some of his furries for concern instead. Redirecting the agent's protectiveness, Neal reminded him that his wife was a recent abduction victim. "Go home, be with Elizabeth, and don't worry about me."

Shifting the ground so he was in a semblance of command again, Peter went back to ordering Neal. "I will go home and be with my wife. However, I will still be worried about you... even house arrest isn't enough to keep you out of trouble." Hauling Neal along with him, Peter pulled him towards his car. "That worry is why I am going to take you to the doctor personally, so I can at least know you are physically alright."

"Is my mental stability in question then?" Neal tried to joke.

"Throwing out repeated references to your impending death, and acting like risking your life isn't a concern does make you sound mentally unstable," Peter continued to haul Neal along. "I know you aren't mentally unstable, but I also don't know why you are doing much of anything right now. You keep saying there is a non-criminal reason for your actions, but you can't talk about it. Now you have told Mozzie you are talking to other people, but you can't say who."

Following along, Neal let Peter drag him to his car and direct him to take a seat on the passenger side. Curling up, he almost started to doze.

"No sleeping, Caffrey. If you have a concussion, you don't get to sleep." Peter directed with a light shake to his shoulder.

Pulling himself into a more upright and less comfortable position, Neal waited until Peter had made it around to the driver seat before he responded to his previous rant. "If I was suicidal, I wouldn't have dodged Keller's bullets. Like I said before, someday I hope to be able to tell you what is going on, but until then, I am not allowed to, despite entering into this willingly. Finally, I hold your friendship as one of my most valuable possessions, and even though it is lost, for now, there are still trace elements of it revealing its continued existence from time to time, and I hope they will be foundations for rebuilding it in the future. Did I miss anything?"

"You didn't explain how you were innocent of all of the cases you are under investigation for," Peter threw at him. Maybe Neal had found some evidence and just needed a chance to share? He was hopeful, and therefore willing to attempt taking advantage of Neal's unfocused state.

"Nice try, Peter. Just because I took a pipe to the head, doesn't mean I am going to fall for such a simple ploy as that. Although I can clear myself of at least one charge, to an extent, I would have to overcome two obstacles to do so. For one, there is revealing how I can clear myself, which is in and of itself a problem, and two, I still have to figure out what happened to my storage unit." He gave Peter a clue, but not much of a lead to go off of.

"Thank you. So, you have made progress towards clearing your name on the treasure case, but you still have a few things to iron out. Do you have an estimated timeline as to when I can expect to hear more about this?" He pushed a little further as he navigated through traffic.

"I don't know. It will depend on how fruitful my investigation can be under house arrest. On the upside, not working will create more time and fewer distractions to hinder my progress, so maybe it won't be as long as it seems." Neal kept his explanation vague. Like his mentor had once taught him, he kept surveillance running on everything, so it wouldn't be hard to find a beginning to his investigation. It was the trip to the end that would likely prove more challenging.

"Let me know as soon as you can, Neal. I don't want to witness anything like what just happened ever again," Peter was certain as they arrived at the hospital.

*******

"How is Caffrey doing, boss? Diana asked when Peter called her and Jones into his office. They were having a quick meeting before he went home for the day.

"The doctor said his head wound wasn't serious. It was enough to knock him unconscious, but not severe enough to cause any lasting damage beyond the surface wound and tenderness that might take a while to go away," Peter was relieved to report. Despite all of the blood, Neal was correct in saying it was only a superficial injury.

His agents seemed to be generally relieved by the prognosis as well, but they were also ready to get down to business.

"What do you want us to investigate?" Jones asked. He knew they weren't there for an update on Caffrey's health status.

"Neal is currently under house arrest. Agent Smith is on duty as his watch right now, but I want an agent from this team on him at all times. Since Keller came after him for allegedly having the treasure and attempted to kill him, I don't want to take any chances in case someone else wants to take a shot." He winced as his mind briefly replayed Keller trying to shoot Neal, "Poor choice in words." He waved their concern off. "Neal has been alluding to other threats, and today he told Mozzie something about talking to other people. I don't want this to go beyond us, but there are several things we are going to be poking around in."

Intrigued, both agents took seats as this was obviously going to be more than a short chat. "We're with you, boss," Diana stated while Jones nodded his agreement.

"Diana, I want you to research every recently discovered art in Europe, especially anything with reputed connections to the U-boat treasure. Keller said it was surfacing and he had seen it firsthand. Anything you discover needs to be checked against the historical records of the Nazi's and any debris discovered from the explosion. In addition, Neal's storage unit where he keeps his copies, original artwork, and supplies like his blank canvases, has been robbed. We are still waiting for the test results on the scrap, but those will also help to verify if he is guilty or not." Peter gave her a rundown on what he wanted her to pursue.

"Got it. If the treasure in Europe really came from the U-boat and Neal's art is what we found, then Neal could be innocent and framed, or an accomplice to the crime. Either way, they could help us resolve the mystery once and for all." She nodded seriously as she jotted her notes down.

"Apparently, the rumor of his guilt is spreading, but since this has been an off the books investigation, that is something else bothering me. How did Keller know Neal was our prime suspect?" Peter added one more piece to Diana's workload.

"Maybe he just knows Neal would be our likely suspect? He is a master criminal after all." Diana thought he was an obvious lead.

"Perhaps… but I think we should all be very careful with our activities and keep watch anyway. It doesn't hurt to be careful in case there really is a leak in the team." Peter didn't know why, but something about that made his gut churn… and it was never a good thing to bet against the gut.

Sensing there was something more to it; that his intuition had caught onto something, the other agents agreed to keep their security level at a paranoid state.

Moving on to his next assignment, Peter turned to Jones. "We also need to be investigating what happened at Junes. Those test results should be back any day now, so we need to be making some progress soon. While we were at the Barnum Estate for the Larkin's party, Neal pointed out how the maid was the person who generally handled the cleaning of the vase and the task of filling it with flowers from time to time. Based on that, she should have noticed the fading and reported it to June, but she didn't. Was it just a belief that it was natural, or an attempt to hide her involvement in the crime?"

"Did Neal point her out as a diversion, or was it a general discovery on his part. Since you were there, which do you think it was?" Jones tried to get a better feel for the circumstances of their new lead becoming a prime suspect.

"He seemed to be genuinely surprised he had missed it which would say it wasn't a diversion, but then you know Neal, so keep an open mind," Peter advised.

"Who is going to be looking into the similarities between Neal and Bryce?" Diana asked. That mystery was a tougher one to solve.

"Me. I have as much information about both of them as I can and a few theories as to what might be going on. The problem is I have no solid proof to work with for any of them. We obviously have someone working with us, but who is the question. Neal is a mystery pre-eighteen, Bryce is practically an open book right up until his college years, there are some general references to Bryce's existence as an accountant up until his death, and Neal has faked his death several times. Could we be dealing with Neal who is impersonating Bryce, or a Bryce who is Neal… I don't know."

"Don't forget a Bryce who could be impersonating Neal. Since we suspect Neal of impersonating Bryce, we need to keep open the possibility that Bryce could be impersonating Neal." Diana added a thought that hadn't seriously crossed Peter's mind before.

Thinking t it over for a moment, Peter wondered why it felt so right; and yet so wrong. "Why would Bryce impersonate Neal? Neal might have a financial reason through Bryce's company, but what would Bryce benefit from playing a con artist?"

Surprised, the others didn't know about Bryce's company, "There is the possibility for financial gain?"

"Yes, it was El's idea actually. Bryce owns a multimillion-dollar firm in DC that creates training programs for field agents. The software can also be applied in military and law enforcement divisions all over the nation which is a very profitable industry on such a grand scale. I have paperwork coming from the DC office where they have collected more details about the running of the company. One of my questions, is why is it still going if the head of the company is dead? Did Bryce fake his death, or is there something else that needs to be investigated?"

"Either you are opening another can of worms there, or this is going to lead us down many rabbit holes before it is finished," Diana summarized.

"Neal does seem to complicate things," Jones agreed.

"That is what we are going to find out. The more cases we have and the further we dig, the more puzzling this gets," Peter lamented. "I get the feeling Neal's life might hang in the balance too… something isn't right about all of this, but I have no idea what it is."

Growing more solemn, they finished dividing out the work before Jones and Diana retreated to their desks to get started. Peter left a message for Hughes, who was interrogating Keller, to let him know he was leaving early and walked down to his waiting wife. El was safe, Neal was under house arrest, and his most trusted agents were working on chasing leads, so it was time for him to go home.

"Tomorrow you are going to tell me what you and the others were talking about …" Elizabeth whispered to him on the elevator. She was right, tomorrow he would have to update her on the investigations into their friend, but for the evening it was just going to be the two of them safely at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, and leaving kudos :D
> 
> Although my family has celebrated today due to complicated work schedules (a house of working adults), I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving later in the week when it actually is ;)


	27. Warrant

*******

Walking back into the office after a relaxing few days with his wife, Peter still wanted to be at home with her, but she insisted on getting their lives back to normal. After a long breakfast conversation and a late start to his day, that was precisely what Peter was going to work for.

He started with getting an update from Hughes on his interrogation with Keller. After getting the double finger point, he walked up to his superior's office and took a seat. "How did it go in interrogation?"

"I'm not going to lie to you; it doesn't look good for Neal. According to Keller, he has personally seen treasure reputed to have come from the U-boat and rumor has it Neal was involved in the theft. We both know you have been investigating the possibility, so I need an update as to what your team has found. If Neal is guilty…" They both knew the team would be losing their best consultant, but justice would need to be pursued.

Peter gave his boss a very short summary and the promise of more information once it was collected. Approaching what he was the most curious about, he asked the question that made him the most worried. "Did Keller say why he tried to kill Neal, especially before he got what he wanted?"

Unsure of how much he should share, Hughes knew he might as well tell the agent so he heard it from him. "Keller was looking to collect the reward for the price on Neal's head. The first person who proves they have killed him will get thirty thousand dollars. It isn't much compared to the U-boat treasure, but he said he was certain he could con you and Haversham throughout the rest of the situation since your friendships with Neal were destroyed."

Feeling like he had let Neal down, Peter realized he had pushed him so far away, that others weren't worried about him protecting the con, even when they threatened his life. Closing his eyes for a moment, he tried to keep his temper under control. "Do we know anything about who put the contract out?"

Shaking his head, Hughes didn't have much of an answer. "Keller just said it comes from a group based out of DC. Do you have any idea what enemies Caffrey could have from DC?"

"Not that I can think of, but then there are eighteen years of history we don't know about combined with gaps in our timeline post eighteen. There is an unknown number of possibilities." And Neal promised to share if he knew anything. The lack of contact either meant he didn't know anything, or he wasn't sharing like he was supposed to be. If Neal was keeping this information on purpose… then Peter might not have any other choice than to place him back into prison for his own safety.

Frowning, Hughes knew the situation wasn't going to look good for their department either. Their own CI was being targeted right under their noses, and they didn't know anything about the situation because the man kept secrets from them. "Do you trust Caffrey to tell you if he knew?"

Sighing, Peter wasn't sure, "Before this whole treasure thing, I would have said yes… but with everything that has been going on… I can't say I fully trust him. I want to be able to trust him, but he is withholding some information and is the prime suspect in several crimes, so I can't." He honestly shared.

"What is he withholding?" Hughes had to ask. Peter had been handling whatever was going on, and he had trusted his agent to take care of it, so he had remained outside of the loop. Now with the situation was escalating, it was time to become involved.

"He says he isn't up to any criminal activities, but he can't tell me what he is actually doing. In a conversation with Haversham, he admitted to working with other people in response to these 'unknown' threats on his life." Suddenly he realized Neal either knew who was going after him, or he had a strong idea. "That idiot, he knows, and yet he won't let us help him." And Peter was back to being angry with Neal, he wasn't going to pity a man who played him.

Growing stern in reaction to what Peter had just figured out, Hughes pulled some papers out of his desk. "It sounds like it might be a good idea to get him back into prison under a twenty-four-hour watch then. If he doesn't trust us and isn't willing to work within our agreement, then he can go back to his cell to be protected." He was going to make it a requirement. If Neal was hurt under Peter's watch then the agent would never forgive himself, but he also needed to have people focused on their caseload and not playing babysitter to a con who wasn't going to work with them.

With sinking shoulders and a resigned heart, Peter knew it had to be. Neal had brought it on himself. "I'll pick him up for the transfer this afternoon, once the team has updated me on their progress." That gave the kid one last chance. If the evidence proved him guilty, then they would change it from being for his safety to a result of his activities.

Agreeing to give Peter his way, Hughes signed off on the situation and sent him out to work.

Walking back towards his office, Peter called Jones and Diana up for another meeting. He walked in and settled into his desk while he waited for them to collect their research and follow.

Entering the office first, Jones said it didn't look good for Neal. "The evidence has come in, and he seems rather guilty."

Peter ran a hand down his face. It seemed everyone was going to start their update in things not looking good for Neal. "That's what Hughes had to say too. Apparently, nothing is looking good for him today."

"Is everyone saying that?" Diana asked as she walked in. The words were on the tip of her tongue when Peter had spoken.

"It appears so. What did you two collect while I was gone?" He settled in to hear what had transpired in his absence.

Taking the lead, Jones began his report. "We got the test results back on the paint sample. It clearly shows the vase was forged since Neal has been at Junes. Executing a warrant for his paint supplies verified his possession of the necessary colors and materials to create it. His skill isn't in question. Also, his fingerprints come back as being all over the vase. Whether it's because he evaluated it or because he has handled it before is unknown. It's all circumstantial, but it's enough to arrest him, because there is not a sign of outside entry and the staff cleared their background checks, so he is the only suspect left."

Moving on to Diana's report, Peter held judgment until after the other case came in, "How is the treasure case progressing?"

"The test results Elizabeth gave me prove the art is modern…" She paused, but at Peter's urging continued. "There was an NC signature in the edge of the burn so it wasn't visible, but some of the light testings showed it." Although it was enough to be valid evidence against Neal, she continued. "I looked into the address where Neal stashed his stuff, there were no signs of forced entry, and the cameras in the area were either pointed in the wrong direction or out of order. Also, the search team had a recent find." She pulled out a scrap of paper. "There is a manifest log to show what all was in the U-boat and, although only part of it survived, nothing in the wreckage or recent market finds a match. It proves the treasure was stolen and replaced with Caffrey's canvases, but not if he was actively involved."

"Although it's all circumstantial, it's enough to take Neal down for life. In June's case, he could have forged the vase at any time and easily replaced it from inside the security zone. But, why would he keep the supplies when they could implicate him later? As for the treasure, it would be a big risk for a larger payout if he used his own canvases. Since they didn't burn he's obviously tied to the crime, but how did he either get past us in the short window or who is his accomplice? It's possible Mozzie is only faking their fight as they are in on it together, or perhaps some else, like Alex, worked with him instead." Peter ran his hand through his hair in frustrated disappointment. The evidence continued to point to Neal using him. "Have we tried every other avenue, is there no alternative lead that we haven't pursued? We don't want to wrongly convict Neal again, but we don't want to let him go for crimes he has committed right under our noses either."

Brainstorming, they couldn't come up with any viable alternatives.

Jones defended himself first. "The maid did seem to be a likely suspect because she didn't report the fading, but what if Neal assured her it was normal or promised to report it for her? She should have reported it herself, but Neal is very charming and good at getting his way when he wants to. Background checks only show a criminal record for Neal, and no financial trail or suspicious connections for anyone else. Should a guest or family have done it, we checked the backgrounds and details for as many as we could, but none of them showed any flags. No matter which way we look, this keeps coming back to Neal."

"Exactly, and I have the same issue. Mozzie is a wild card but supposedly fought with Neal for not sharing it. Could he be playing a ruse, possibly, but Neal would still be involved. Alex hasn't been seen since she left after being recovered from your abduction, but how would she have back-traced it, found Neal's secret storage, and transported it out of the country? Although she makes a good suspect, there is no proof to tie her to it. Neal is the only one who's signed copy showed up at the crime scene."

"Make your cases. We have Neal on both crimes as either being the perpetrator by circumstances or as an accomplice by his signature. Hughes wants him back in prison this afternoon for his own protection, and now to face trial for these additional crimes." It was Peter's worst fear, and yet the accepted inevitably. Neal was going back to prison for life.

Knocking on the door as the meeting broke up, agent Smith poked his head in. "Since we were keeping an eye on Neal through this case in relation to the Larkin family, I thought you should know he had a meeting this morning with Bryce's lawyer friend… Jonathon Walker." He added after glancing at his notes.

And there was the perfect trifecta. Neal was playing them on all fronts. "Bring me your notes and pictures. It sounds like Caffrey has moved from doing all but, to actually impersonating Bryce Larkin."

"Sure thing, boss," Agent Smith passed Peter the folder and went back down to his desk.

Although Jones and Diana had lessened their hostility towards Neal as well, their anger was also back with the evidence pointing to him playing them on all of their cases.

Suppressing his anger, Peter gave the orders for the warrant and began compiling his own case. As soon as the paperwork was arranged, he was personally going to arrest Neal.

*******

Once Diana had the warrant in hand, Peter ordered her and Jones to join him as the lead agents while the rest of the team acted as support. Neal was a wryly one and he wanted to make sure they got him.

Loading into the car, Peter headed for the hotel. As he drove, the car was very quiet. None of the agents said anything as they were all reflecting on how things had turned out.

Jones felt betrayed because he had genuinely liked Neal, never trusted him, but the con was a fun guy to be around. He was smart and did good work with the team.

Diana was angry. She had let Neal into her home, told him personal details about Charlie, and had let some of her guard down around the man. He let her down, and she didn't like the feeling of being betrayed, especially not when it came from a close friend and colleague.

Peter had the most emotions to deal with.

Neal had been his partner. He had taken the risk of working with the con even though he knew the man's tendency to run. It was a balance between valuing the man for his skill as an investigator and knowledgeable asset with the risk he would burn them by running or committing a crime. His partner had stabbed him in the back by committing many crimes right under his nose.

The man had been his friend. Neal was the one coworker he often invited over for dinner, trusted in his home, and whose company he most enjoyed. There were many a night where he had driven Neal to his home talking about whatever crossed their minds, shared his personal time with his wife as the man joined them for dinner, and then stayed up late into the night talking as something would suddenly make sense about their case. No one else was as involved in his work and personal life as Neal.

He was angry Neal had betrayed him, upset that he hadn't trusted him enough to ask for his help with the threats, and hurt that it all had to end this way. After everything he had invested into the con and all of the effort he had used to try and give him a better chance in life… and this was how he was repaid. Shaking his head, Peter tried to dispel the emotions that would haunt him for the rest of his life. A betrayal of this magnitude wasn't just going to go disappear, it would fade, but it would always remain.

Reaching their destination, the three agents got out of the car and began coordinating with the current watch team and the inbound back up.

It didn't take long before they were ready to make entry and headed into the hotel. Walking back towards Neal's room, they heard the sounds of a scuffle and picked up their paces while drawing their weapons.

Arriving at the point where the sounds were originating from, Jones and Diana took up positions to either side while Peter prepared to lead them in. Opening the door, Diana pushed it back for Peter to make an entry before she and Jones backed him up.

The entryway was clear, so was the bathroom. Moving into where the main room was visible, they were surprised to see everything in disarray. Their team on watch had assured them that all had been quiet in Neal's room… how had they missed this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, commenting/reviewing, and choosing to favorite :D


	28. Rescue and Arrest

*******

Continuing into the hotel room, Peter looked to the other side of the bed and saw someone pinning Neal down in an effort to strangle him. Neal was trying to wrestle the man off of him, but he wasn't succeeding.

"FBI, step away from Caffrey!" Peter ordered with a growl. He was going to protect Neal, and then he was going to arrest him, alive!

Refusing to listen, the man continued in his efforts. Peter was forced to take the shot in order to save Neal's life. Making his approach with Jones and Diana following him, he carefully rolled the man off of Neal.

While Diana checked on the man's status, Peter focused on Neal. The con looked a little dazed and appeared to be catching his breath. Pulling the edges of his shirt down a little, Peter could see where his neck was beginning to show signs of bruising from the attempt. "Neal… can you hear me?" He didn't know what other injuries might have been accrued during the fight.

"Yeah… Peter." Neal croaked as he seemed to regain some of his focus. Looking over at the man who had been trying to kill him, he didn't seem too upset. "Thanks again. I know you're here to arrest me, but thanks anyway."

Frowning, Peter wondered how Neal knew. Before he could ask though, Diana wanted his attention.

"Uh, boss. This guy is a Marshal. I have seen him working protective custody before." She had also pulled the man's badge out of his pocket as extra proof. Her eyes were big as she realized that whatever was going on, it was about to get even bigger.

"Why is a Marshal trying to kill you, Neal? Does this have anything to do with the price on your head?" Peter questioned as he helped the man up and onto the bed.

"Probably for the money, I assume he is connected to the people putting the price on my head," Neal answered the two questions at once.

"What kind of trouble did you get into this time?" Peter both asked and huffed. It seemed like Neal had a knack for making dangerous enemies.

"Nothing… I didn't cause this problem," Neal coughed. His voice was getting stronger, but he still wasn't pushing it.

"Yeah, and why are we supposed to believe that?" Peter asked. The others were tending to the scene, so Neal was his problem.

"Believe it, don't believe it. What does it matter? I was three years old and no one knows what all happened, so your guess is as good as anyone else's," Neal waived the suspicion off.

Puzzled, Peter hadn't expected that. "Why don't you ask your parents or something? Wouldn't they have an idea?"

Shrugging, Neal didn't respond at first. When Peter prompted him to answer, it was even more chilling than his silence, "Can't ask. They already got them."

Stunned silent for a moment, Peter certainly wasn't going to leave the situation at that. "Got them?" He was afraid of what it meant.

"One was in state's evidence and the others were still in Wit-sec. Home invasions and drive-by shootings… they found them all and made sure no one talked. Neal Caffrey is all that still stands in connection to them, and although no one knows why, it appears they want to make sure I don't know anything, or can't share if I did." It was old news to Neal, so he wasn't affected by it at all.

That was nothing like what Peter had imagined being in Neal's past. Who would guess their friend's background was a mystery because they were in Wit-sec? And he was the only standing survivor of an entire family? "Why didn't you tell me this before? I asked you why you knew your life was in danger, and you promised to share if you knew anything. What happened to that?"

"Have you wondered why the team didn't call you on this? Or why no one has reported any of the other attempts over the last few days to you? Based on where you were, this attack started while you were walking down the hall and this wasn't all done in that short span of time." He waived at the mess around the room.

"Our team left you open to this?" Peter practically shouted in surprise.

Stopping in their progress, Jones and Diana had noticed things were oddly quiet with Neal, but they never thought their own team was withholding information from them. "That's why there haven't been reports of anything?" This time the evidence proved Neal correct. If he had trashed the place himself, then the agents would have investigated the cause of the noise, but if they were covering up for something, then it would explain why nothing was reported.

Horrified and afraid again, Peter feared where this was leading. Was Neal being framed by someone on the team? They would have tracking access to his anklet to see where he went, would have known he was being investigated, and anyone from the team would have been able to access the evidence to tamper with it… except for the painting scrap. Peter had kept it secret. It was a valid possibility, but he didn't think it made sense to cover the whole situation.

"Do you know which member of the team?" He asked the room in general. Even as he asked, Peter's gut told him the answer. Agent Smith had been the one primarily watching Neal while the rest of the team worked on various cases. The agent had also shown extra hostility towards Neal on multiple occasions. Was he intentionally trying to kill him though?

"Agent Smith was the primary agent watching from the surveillance van. He volunteered." Jones had an expression on his face indicating he had reached the same conclusion as the others.

"I need you guys to handle the scene here and notify Hughes of what has been going on. We have orders to take Neal to prison for his safety, so I'll take him to get checked out and drop him off." He changed back to questioning Neal's guilt. If one of their team was guilty, then what did that say for Neal?

Nodding their understanding, the agents went to work on the scene while Peter cuffed Neal and guided him out to his vehicle. Walking past the rest of the agents, he sent most of them back to the office, some to help with the scene, and Smith to get his reports as the agent who had been dominantly on duty. "We found a Marshal trying to kill him and there have obviously been other attacks recently. I want your reports on Hughes desk this afternoon, do you hear me, agent Smith?" He was obviously upset with the agent's mistake but didn't make it look like anything more than what it seemed. It would do no good to tip the agent off to their suspicion of his involvement.

Reaching his car, Peter gently loosened the cuffs and placed Neal in the back seat. "I know all of the evidence says you are guilty, but we just pulled a Marshal off as he tried to kill you. It seems like each time things begin to make sense, they go crazy again." He generally explained before closing the door and getting into the driver's seat.

Pulling out and heading for the hospital, Peter kept checking the rearview mirror to make sure Neal still appeared to be alright. He had been through a lot recently, and it wasn't over yet.

"Stop being so paranoid, Peter." Neal still wasn't being overly talkative.

Snorting, Peter couldn't help it. "Why should I? I have a bad agent on my team, and all of the evidence currently looks like you committed the crimes. What isn't there to be paranoid about?"

Laughing ever so softly, Neal didn't seem worried about it, "I can't say why."

"Of course not," Peter rolled his eyes. Neal's continued inability to explain things was somewhere between an aggravating lack of answer and a private joke to be humored.

Falling into silence, they continued to the hospital and through Neal's paperwork until it was his turn to see a doctor.

Watching as the nurse directed Neal to take off his shirt, Peter frowned as he saw the litany of bruises across his chest. Obviously, there had been other attackers who had managed to physically get to him. Then a thought struck him, how had Neal survived those previous attacks if no one had been there to protect him? Keeping it in mind, Peter waited until after Neal had a generally clean bill of health. All he had were bruises, so the doctor didn't think he needed any extra care.

Taking him back out to the car, Peter finally had the chance to ask his question in private once he was in the driver's seat again. "How did you survive the previous attacks? They obviously got to you, and no one reported them, so there probably wasn't help."

"Remember the fight with Keller?" Neal answered with a question.

Thinking back, Peter wasn't sure what he meant, "Dodging bullets?" He questioned, it was the part that stood out foremost in his mind.

"When Keller had the knife and the fight wasn't going well for you," Neal further clarified.

Suddenly, the memory of it struck and he remembered what Neal was getting at. "You helped me to fight him down. I thought you didn't know how to fight." He wondered why he hadn't realized it before. Neal had caught Keller's arm in a hook and forced him to release his grip somehow.

"And that is how I survive. Law enforcement has been trying to kill me for years, so when I can't reach out for assistance from other law enforcement, I take care of myself." He shrugged, things hadn't changed, Peter was just learning about how things were for him.

There was another lie, Neal knew how to fight. Maybe he wasn't the most skilled, but he had enough ability to survive these attacks on his life. He almost wanted to ask Neal why he kept lying to him, but then he thought better of it because he feared the answer.

Settling back to drive in silence, Peter didn't have any other questions. Either Neal was lying to him, he wasn't sure if he could trust his answers, or Neal's answers were that he couldn't answer, so what was the point in further conversation?

Pulling up in front of the prison, Peter found a place to park, got out, and helped Neal from the back. Then he walked him up to the prison and took him through the preliminary process of being incarcerated.

Once Neal was beyond the point he could accompany him, Peter watched him for a moment longer before going out to his car and drove to the office.

*******

Driving back to the Federal building, Peter wasn't surprised to see the White Collar division as a circus. OPR was coming, so everyone was preparing and looking to avoid suspicion.

Walking through to his office, Peter couldn't help but glance at Neal's old desk. Based on the evidence against him, it was likely the CI would never inhabit it again, but with the possibility of corruption in the team, it was possible he was framed or his cases would be thrown out.

Sighing as he took his seat, Peter wondered what the future would bring. The team was having an internal investigation to verify if Smith was corrupt and to look for any others who might be misbehaving as well. Neal had been arrested for crimes he likely, but might not have, committed. There had been a Marshal trying to kill someone partially under their protection. And those were just some of the unexpected things Peter had faced for the day. They didn't even touch on the new reveals about Neal himself.

Hearing his phone go off, Peter pulled it out and was relieved to see his wife's number on the caller ID. Answering it, he sighed into the phone. "Hi, hon."

"Hi, hon. What is going wrong now?" She could tell something was wrong.

Laughing softly, Peter didn't know where to start or how to say it all. Sobering, his voice cracked a little bit with the stress. "Where to start is the question. I mean, the evidence all points to Neal being guilty, but when we went to arrest him, I had to shoot a Marshal off of him as the guy was strangling him. Then we learned he has been fighting for his life from multiple attacks over the last several days, so his hotel room is a complete wreck. Because we had agents watching him and nothing was reported wrong, we now have OPR coming in to see who is corrupt on the team. We know there is at least one, but we aren't sure how bad the corruption is. On top of all that, Neal revealed that he knows how to fight, which is how he has survived this long, and that those trying to kill him have taken out his entire family…" He found himself throwing it all out there as quickly as he could. Once he got started, he couldn't stop himself from sharing his stress.

Shocked, Elizabeth didn't know what to do with it all either. "Wow… that is a lot going wrong in one day." Taking a few moments, she tried to get her bearings. "Is Neal alright?"

"For now, it's just a lot of bruising across his chest and around his neck. If this continues though…"

They talked for a little while until Peter felt better. Then he went back to work preparing for Neal's court case. There was a lot of work to do and several cases to prepare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, choosing to favorite, and leaving kudos :D


	29. Witnesses

*******

Settling into a routine of his own, Peter began to adjust to life without his partner. For as much as he had shunned the man recently, knowing he was gone meant their partnership and friendship was truly over. There was no coming back from this.

Running his hands through his hair for the umpteenth time, Peter wished things were going to get better, that this was just a temporary thing before Neal would be back. Unfortunately, the situation wasn't a dream and there was the very real possibility Neal was guilty of all of the crimes.

In order to solve the cases and find the truth, Peter worked to keep his emotions out of it. He needed to look at the evidence with a logical clarity as if this wasn't his friend he had arrested, not his partner he was accusing. To do so, he tried to keep in mind that the truth would out and the right man would end up behind bars when everything was done. Then he would have to distance himself from the fear Neal might deserve to be there. It was a vicious circle not to be rivaled by his emotions on Neal's guilt.

If he wasn't furious at the man for conning him into believing his innocence, then he was upset and worried about what he might be doing if his friend turned out to be innocent. There was no good way the situation could go.

Trying to get out of his own head, Peter began working on his witness list. It turned out there weren't a lot of people in Bryce Larkin's life. He had his family, but they were too involved in themselves to even realize the man was well and truly dead.

Remembering took Peter in a whole other direction of thought. Who could read their family member's obituary and not believe they were dead? The only consideration the family would give to Bryce actually being dead was that he was joking. 'Larkins simply do not get gunned down in petty robberies.' Like the man could control how he died? Peter snorted to himself.

Moving on to his next group of people wasn't overly helpful. Bryce seemed to be a bit of a misfit in the world of wealth, so he didn't meld with his schoolmates much. There was only one classmate from his early school years who showed a close friendship with the young man. Peter was already familiar with his name, Jonathon Walker. He was Bryce Larkin's personal lawyer, old school friend, and the person Neal had met with recently. Although the man was being called in as a material witness for Neal impersonating Bryce, there would also be several questions for the man about Bryce and to determine if he was Neal's inside man which would put him up for charges as an accomplice. It was going to be an interesting conversation.

Looking into the next stage of Bryce's life revealed one more friend. His early college years showed a very close bond with Charles Bartowski. However, Bryce had gotten his college roommate and best friend kicked out of school for cheating. Still, despite their history, Chuck might actually be his best material witness to prove Neal was impersonating Bryce. The man wasn't certain he was Bryce playing a joke, and he wasn't a possible suspected for his accomplice, so what could go wrong with his testimony?

Who was he kidding? Peter couldn't keep his mind from thinking about the many things that could go wrong with the guy's testimony. What if Bartowski wanted to get revenge on Bryce, so he would allow this strange man to take over his life, or maybe he would wonder if Neal really was Bryce so he would endeavor to get him arrested as punishment? Was it such a big request to ask for the case to go easily and close simply with Neal as a well framed, but innocent, man?

Thrusting his papers into the case folder, Peter decided it was time to work on something else. The official requests had been sent out for the two men to meet him. They would talk in the office as an official inquiry, to begin with, and then he would carry on with the case based on the results of their conversations.

*******

Jonathon Walker was the first one to come as Washington was closer in proximity than Burbank. Peter watched from above as the man walked into the office. He had brown hair with blond highlights and his eyes seemed to be piercing everyone in sight. His expression was serious, but yet somehow relaxed for a potential suspect standing in the middle of the FBI. As would be expected of a lawyer, he was wearing a suit and had a briefcase in his hand presumably containing the legal reason for him to be running Bryce's life even after his death.

"You must be Jonathon Walker," Diana walked up to him and introduced herself.

"Yes, I'm here to see agent Burke." Jonathon sounded firm and professional. He didn't seem like the type of person you would expect to be working with a con artist.

Walking to the top of the stairs, Peter met Diana and their guest before he led Walker into a conference room. "Take a seat. Would you like anything to drink?" Peter offered like a host.

"No, thank you. I believe we have several things to discuss, so I think it is best to get started." Jonathon placed his briefcase on the table and popped it open. Pulling the files out, he began to arrange his paperwork on the table in front of him.

Following his actions, Peter observed how he moved or caught glimpses of the file headers to try and get a read on the man. He was confident, direct, open, and yet somehow the man was hiding something.

As Jonathon finished laying his paperwork out, Peter finished organizing his as well. It didn't take long to have his notepad ready and his files in the order he wanted to bring them up, but it took slightly longer because he was also watching Jonathon. Curiously, the man wasn't the least bit intimidated and didn't seem to be worried about the questions he was going to bring up.

Getting started, Peter began to ask Jonathon questions about his connections to Bryce. "How did you meet Bryce Larkin?"

"It was his first year at boarding school and his mother had just died. The kid was lost and lonely so he spent most of his time outside of class trying to drown his sorrows in letters to home that were barely answered or reading books. Taking pity on him, I took him under my wing and introduced him to comic books, video games, and nerd movies so he at least had someone to interact with. At first, he was reluctant because his father wouldn't approve, but after a while, he seemed to enjoy the companionship and became more willing to relax. Over the following years, until we graduated, I taught him to love nerdy things and gave him something to love because he enjoyed it, and not because his father pressured him into it." Jonathon was simply telling a story. Sure, it didn't paint a happy picture for Bryce's childhood, but nothing else had either.

"How did you become his lawyer, and why did he entrust you to run his entire life?" Peter wondered. The question would also answer why Jonathon was a good witness in his case.

"After graduation, we went different ways. He went on to Stanford and I went on to Harvard. We lost touch for several years, so I don't know exactly what went on with his life. I married, became a widower, and lost most of my fortune with some poor investments. Several years ago, Bryce found me in Washington and he gave me employment to help me get back on my feet. Somewhere along the way, he had started his company, Simula Scripts, and he wanted me to be his legal advisor. We made arrangements and I have generally seen him for business purposes ever since."

Moving on to his next question, Peter wanted to know when he had last seen Bryce. This was a question he wanted to pay extra careful attention too.

"That is not an easy question to answer. Because certain aspects of it hinder lawyer-client privileges, I cannot give you exact information as to when I have last seen Bryce Larkin. However, I have not seen 'Bryce Larkin' in several years." There was a clarification of how he said Bryce Larkin, like he had seen him since, only as someone else.

Peter put the observation to the back of his mind. The man was obviously keeping something secret about Neal and Bryce, but he wasn't sure what.

Although he was suspicious, Peter moved on to the next question. "If you haven't seen Bryce in years, and I have a copy of his death certificate here in my files, then why are you still running his personal life?"

"The company specializes in training programs for field agents; it also has some militaristic and other law enforcement applications, which makes it important to keep the material available and to continue updating it as situations evolve. Because of its importance, Bryce and I worked up clauses in the company's foundation allowing it to continue running even in the event of his death. As for his personal life, Bryce didn't have much, but he valued what he had so he requested it to be kept until someone could be found to take procession in his absence. Personally, I love nerdy stuff, but I don't need his apartment or his collection of nerdy figurines." The man shrugged with a smirk. "I have my own collection that already rivals his."

Unable to help himself, Peter smirked slightly too. "So, you don't wish to double your collection with the addition of his?" It was also a test.

"No, he would want someone who couldn't afford one to have it. Becoming a nerd helped him to find his own footing in an overbearing family in addition to dealing with the loss of the only family member who paid any attention to him. It was his wish that it be used to help someone else, and so far the right person hasn't come along yet." Then he decided to add. "And no, I am not simply ensuring myself continued employment by holding on to it."

Nodding, Peter had gotten most of his questions answered, but there was still one major one he needed to address. "Why were you visiting Neal Caffrey recently? My team has pictures of you entering his hotel and they got a few of you in his room before the blinds were closed." Peter laid the pictures out to prove he had the evidence.

"Neal Caffrey and Bryce Larkin are identical in appearance despite being unrelated. Although they never met, Bryce knew of his doppelganger and asked me to look into him. Caffrey and I have met a few times over the years and I loaned him a tux for the event at the Larkin's. Since I was in the city and the event was over, I met him to reclaim my tux. While I was there, he told me some about the cases against him and asked for my legal advice, I gave it, and then I returned home." He appeared to be honest and there were no tells indicating he had lied.

Having finished the majority of his questions, Peter let the man go with the promise to remain reachable and that Jonathon would return for the trial.

Returning to his position and watching him leave, Peter didn't know what to think of the man, but he understood Neal's attraction to him. Jonathon was honest and good at keeping secrets, exactly the type of person Neal liked.

*******

When it was time for Charles Bartowski to come in for his meeting, Peter wondered what it would entail. After all, Jonathon had brought a great deal to the table, what would Charles?

As Peter was leading him to the conference room, Charles stopped. "First, call me Chuck. Second, I want to meet Neal. If he is really impersonating my friend, I need to meet him in person to verify his identity. You want my testimony that he isn't Bryce; then I need to verify that he isn't Bryce for myself." The man drove a hard bargain.

Pausing to make the phone call, Peter arranged a meeting at the prison before guiding Chuck out to his vehicle.

Driving, Peter decided to ask some of his basic questions as they went. Chuck was also open and honest as he answered pretty much every question he had.

"Why did Bryce get you kicked out for cheating if you didn't cheat?" He wondered. Chuck had told him it was a lie, but he needed more information.

"Bryce knew I was in danger because of the test results, so he protected me by invalidating it. I was removed from danger and he sacrificed our friendship to save my life. It took several years and was after his death, but I eventually found the recording where he took my place and learned the truth. Although Bryce was always a tricky one, and it was always difficult to understand his motives, he always had what was best for me in mind." Chuck sighed as he missed his friend. There was hope he might be alive again, but he wasn't going to get excited until he saw the man for himself.

Walking into the room and spotting Neal sitting there in orange and chains, Chuck knew immediately what was going on. As he remembered how angry the FBI agents had been, he had a question of his own. "How do you do it?"

Smiling, Neal glanced at him sideways knowing what he was alluding to. "Didn't Sarah tell you?

Combining the action of rolling his eyes, bouncing his head, and waving his hands about, Chuck reiterated the basics. "I know, so that is supposed to make it all okay."

Nodding his head adamantly, Neal agreed. "Exactly, I know. So why should I care what the world thinks of me?"

With a reproving look, Chuck snorted. "Yeah, which is why you are so excited I am here. I'm the only one who has figured out the whole picture and can understand your actions."

Shrugging, Neal was prepared for their meeting. "That is a perk. Peter has clues he hasn't been able to solve, others know things; you're just the only person who knows it all."

Peter stood by absolutely puzzled. Why was Chuck joking with this guy, and how did he suddenly know all about what was going on? Also, how did Neal know Chuck?

Answering Peter's obvious question, Chuck smiled. "My parents and wife work for the government. Over the years I got drug into things, and took an opportunity to look the situation up before I came here." The information hadn't connected Neal as Bryce for sure, but seeing him confirmed it.

Although they completed their meeting easily enough, Peter came away with more questions than answers. He did have Chuck's testimony that there was indeed an impersonation going on, just not the assurance that Neal was impersonating Bryce.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, commenting/reviewing, choosing to favorite, and leaving kudos :D


	30. Courthouse

*******

Despite how circumstantial the evidence was, Neal was going to trial.

The FBI was embarrassed he had committed the crimes right under their noses, so they were placing his cases before a jury to determine his guilt and punishment. White Collar had prepared the cases and collected evidence, and combined with his criminal history, it wouldn't take much to get a conviction.

Walking into the courthouse, Peter was glad Elizabeth had chosen to be in the audience. Prosecuting the man who had become his friend wasn't going to be pleasant, so he was happy to have her support. Holding her hand until they reached the hall where everyone else was meeting, he tried to gain strength from their physical connection.

Reaching the hall, Peter looked around to see nearly everyone present. Sara was there as Neal's ex-girlfriend, the Larkin family were entering with Bryce's God-mother, June was relieved to have Elizabeth take the seat next to her, and Jonathon was sitting towards the edge of the group as he wasn't closely connected to them. Further away, Chuck was walking in while talking to a blonde, who Peter assumed was the man's wife. Although they weren't grouped together, they had at least all arrived.

"Hey boss, there is some construction going on in the other hallway, so most of the people are going to be crowded into here. Do you think Neal might try to take advantage of the limitations in security to make a run for it?" Diana asked as she updated him. The team had collected their paperwork, but Peter would be the primary representative for the cases. Since Agent Smith had continued to look guilty, the agent had disappeared and most of the office was preoccupied with the ongoing OPR investigation. It didn't look good for the FBI, so the bosses wanted to keep Peter as the face for the agency because he had a stable and long-standing reputation for being honest.

Peter's gut seemed to be in a constant state of churning or kicking. Something was wrong, but Peter had long since lost track of what it could be. Deciding not to take any chances, he felt it was best to be close to Neal until he was in the open courtroom. If the man tried to run, no one had ever been able to catch him like Peter. "I think I will help watch him, having an extra pair of eyes won't hurt when it comes to Neal."

Almost smirking, Diana had expected his reaction. "I already made arrangements with the Marshals. If you don't need me, then I will head back to the office."

Taking a moment to look around and try to estimate why his instincts were screaming at him, Peter had no idea what to expect. "Something has been wrong through this whole mess, and my instincts are screaming at me that it is about to get worse, but I don't know why. Is it simply because the man I had begun to see as my best friend is being charged with several crimes that will leave him imprisoned for life, or is it something else? Unless something more definitive comes up, we should be fine." Peter decided to dismiss her rather than keep her for something that had been going on for months anyway.

"If you're sure, boss. But call if anything comes up, or else I will have to carry my threats for Neal out on you," Diana lightly threatened. She knew not to bet against the gut, but she also trusted Peter to know when he needed her.

Taking a quick walk through everyone, Peter made sure they were comfortable and knew what was going to be expected of them. Then he stopped by his wife to explain how he was going to be with Neal to keep an eye on the man as the construction made for a weakness in security.

"Keep an eye on him, but also watch out for trouble. Something about this has been bugging you all along, be careful." Elizabeth warned him worriedly before kissing him quickly.

Reciprocating her kiss, Peter tried to calm down but only felt his system tightening up even more. "I will, hon." Then he walked over to the hallway where Neal was being guarded by Marshals.

Turning the corner, he spotted the two Marshals walking through a side door with their charge chained in between them. Neal was shuffling along in his shackles and wearing one of his basic suits for his court appearance. He looked the same as he had at the hotel before the attacks had started. As it was, the only differences were the chains and healing injuries from the previous attempts on his life.

Shifting into the cautious agent, Peter walked up and introduced himself with his badge. "I'll be helping keep an eye on Caffrey until his court appearance."

"Welcome to the party, Peter. The real fun is over here anyway." Neal smirked as he took his seat on the hard bench where the Marshal's directed him to be.

Reverting to something of their old banter, Peter felt it was better than his confusion. At least there was an element of normalcy to being cop and robber than former friends. It was almost like their first trial experience, "Don't get used to it."

Peter strolled along the stretch of hallway and glance up around the galleries above them. It was definitely an easy place to escape if someone wanted to, and Neal was fast and skilled at making a getaway. Once he was satisfied with his surroundings and knowledgeable of where the weak spots were, Peter took a seat opposite Neal where he could keep an eye on him.

"This is only temporary, Peter. I don't know what the future is going to hold, but I get the feeling today is going to decide it." Neal was serious, yet almost relieved. He seemed to sense that something was coming too.

"Something tells me it isn't going to be good," Peter couldn't help remarking. Didn't Neal understand the ramifications of what was happening? Even if the jury let him free of the crimes, the FBI wasn't looking to renew his deal. Their partnership had officially ended. Although he didn't want to work with a partner who was using him, he couldn't deny the wish to work with his friend again, like before.

"Probably not in the aspect you foresee. Still, the back of my neck is definitely tingling." Neal rubbed his hand across his neck again. It seemed to be a nervous tick. The closer it got to his court appearance, the more his neck seemed to be bugging him.

Unsure of what Neal meant, Peter speculated possible meanings. "Is this about the threats on your life again?" His back suddenly went rigid as his senses honed in on the possibility. If someone was going to try and kill Neal again, the courthouse would be an easier target than solitary confinement. Either that, or he would be more vulnerable in transit, but he had made it to the courthouse safely.

"Who said anything about that? I certainly didn't. There haven't been many opportunities for conversation in solitary," Neal deflected. He put his carefree mask on like armor.

"Caffrey," Peter wasn't in the mood for games, and the kid should get a better grasp of his seriousness between his tone and use of his surname.

"Burke," Neal played back.

"How many times do I have to tell you that your life isn't a game?" Peter was getting angry again. It was bad enough he was going back to prison, but death was so much worse.

"You seem to think at least once more is necessary." Neal had fully reverted back to an almost playful banter which was only riling Peter's temper. Making Peter mad seemed to be his goal.

Getting ready for a full telling off, Peter was about to repeat every speech he had ever done on safety before he decided not to. If Neal wanted to push his buttons for a fight because he was lonely, then Peter wasn't going to be played. "Apparently you know what the speech is."

"Come on, Peter. You aren't going to play with me?" Neal almost whined.

Growing more taciturn, Peter wondered why Neal was suddenly playing the annoying con game. Sure, he had always been annoying, but he had never taken it to this level of childishness before. What was his angle? Refusing to rise to the bait, Peter settled back to silently observe. Neal was obvious up to something, but what was his ploy?

*******

Sitting back in the other hall, the rest of the group were having a more pleasant time. Most of them had separated off into various groups and were holding their own conversations.

June, Sara, and Elizabeth were discussing the apparent outcome of the situation.

"I still can't believe Neal would have taken such advantage of me." June had been disappointed to learn her fears were being validated. Neal being prosecuted meant her house was about to be permanently quiet again. His presence had brought so much life to her home with his smile and excitement, she felt young again as she helped the young man adjust to his new life and got caught up in his adventures. He was a good friend and the best improvement to her life in recent years.

Reacting in anger, Sara wasn't as surprised. "What upsets me is that I allowed myself to be blinded to the potential. He is a known criminal and conman, but I still got involved with him."

In an effort to keep the peace, Elizabeth was torn between which side to stand on, so she chose to remind them that even Peter wasn't sure what was going on. "It isn't fully decided yet. Although the evidence does look like Neal is guilty of everything, it is all circumstantial. As slim as it might be, he could be innocent. I don't know what to think, and even Peter is torn by the whole situation."

Deflating a little bit, Sara revealed that her anger was a cover for her pain. "Why can't this all be over? It seems like we just keep getting pulled back and forth between his guilt and his innocence. I want him to be innocent as much as you do, but I also know he is a criminal with his head in the clouds."

"Oh, honey," June reached out to her. "I remember when Byron was still tempted to be involved with the criminal element. It was a rollercoaster ride of adventure, but there was always the possibility of flying off of the rail which terrified me. He was never killed or seriously harmed, but he did land in prison a few times. Eventually, he settled down and I didn't have to worry about him anymore, but it took some years for him to learn that our family was more important. Neal could still learn." She tried to encourage Sara and give her hope if she wanted it.

Suddenly thinking over the time they had been friends, Elizabeth could see how Neal had fluctuated between improving and backsliding. "She is right, even if Neal is guilty, it doesn't mean he won't regret it later. He has shown signs he can improve, but maybe he was tempted too much this time."

Afraid of that line of thinking, the three women fell into alternate conversation, but the topic remained in the back of their minds.

Across the hall from them, Chuck and Sarah seemed to be content to talk quietly by themselves, but they were also observing the others from time to time.

Catching Elizabeth's glance once, Chuck nodded at her in acknowledgment, but his eyes conveyed pity. He remembered what it felt like to be in her shoes, confused as to what Bryce was up to, and he didn't envy her. Bryce had put him through years of questions and hatred before he had finally been able to learn the truth about his friend.

It was less awkward for him than it was for Sarah. She found her attention continuously drawn to Sara as another ex. Although the other woman didn't know it, they had both been romantically involved with the man known as Neal. Her mind found its way back to the days where she feared he had betrayed her when he was a traitor to his country. Discovering he was innocent and a hero had been a great relief, so she hoped Sara would be fortunate enough to learn the truth as well.

Making their observations, the two tried to generally ignore the one person who was continuously paying attention to them. Jonathon was mostly watching Chuck, but he was also curious about Sarah. In recent years Bryce had only talked about Chuck in the past tense, so Jonathon didn't know what role he currently played in his life or how informed he was. Did they know, where they aware of what Bryce was doing and what was going on? He himself only knew the basic details.

Finally, there was the Larkin family sitting off to the side by themselves. There had been a general acknowledgment of Jonathon because they knew who he was, but otherwise, they were more interested in lamenting the situation.

Richard and Wyatt were upset by how bad the image was for their family, a Larkin impersonated by a common conman? It was unthinkably embarrassing! Felix was trying to use the impersonation as a reason to draw attention to himself because he had only wanted his brother to help, it wasn't his fault the man was so good at fooling him.

While they were absorbed in their embarrassment, things they would rather be doing instead, and all the general inconveniences of such an undesirable situation, Clara and their friend Mrs. Wymond were forced to keep their displeasure to a minimum. Clara focused on Felix and kept him occupied by preparing for their appearance in court. Thinking through conversations and observations concerning Neal gave them something else to talk about. Mrs. Wymond used her role as a family friend and Bryce's God-mother to agree with the family's distaste for being so ill-used, but she also tempered them down to a more agreeable level that wouldn't create a scene in front of an audience.

They were passing the time easily enough, but the distant sound of gunfire and combat brought all conversations to a halt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for commenting/reviewing, following, leaving kudos, and choosing to favorite :D


	31. Surprise

*******

Continuing his observation of Neal, Peter noticed more points of inconsistency. For one, Neal seemed to be muttering to the Marshals low enough he couldn't hear what was being said. What was so secret he couldn't know about it? Then another was how the Marshals didn't seem to be monitoring Neal for an attempt at escape, but rather, they seemed to be more alert for an outside threat of an attack.

That made him think; did Neal trust these strangers to watch his back more than he trusted him? Peter didn't like the thought. Neal had been his friend and partner, so they had been through several rough situations where Peter had always done his best to keep the younger man safe. Then he realized he hadn't been doing a very good job of protection in recent times. After all, Agent Smith was under his command and appeared to have been involved in several attempts on Neal's life. Had he failed so badly that he was untrustworthy?

Feeling his gut kicking again, Peter suddenly realized he might be on the right track. Neal was keeping secrets from him because he had failed in some aspects to protect the kid. Still, that wasn't quite right either, he had been doing his best with the information Neal had shared, so it wasn't his fault.

Then he was irritated and kind of angry again. Why did Neal always put him through these emotional ringers? The kid withheld information from him until it blew up in their faces, then Neal would want his help to fix it, and if anything went wrong, then he would feel guilty for failing.

Shoving his remorse and guilt aside, Peter tried to hide behind his anger again. Neal would have to face the consequences of his own actions.

Sighing, Peter knew it wasn't going to work. He was the FBI agent and handler. It was his job to figure out Neal's secrets and to keep at least one step ahead of the young criminal, which was something else he wasn't doing recently.

Interrupting the silent puzzling, there was the sound of approaching footsteps. Neal went back to playing up his role as an annoying con, the Marshals were pretending to ignore him again, and Peter realized they were putting on an act, that an attack had been expected the whole time!

Before he could react, several men dressed in black rounded the corner from the back part of the building. Each one had their identities obscured by masks and were heavily armed. They were essentially a kill squad sent to ensure Neal's death, and everyone else was in danger because of it.

Taking two quick shots, they took the Marshall's out before aiming their guns at Neal.

Raising his hands and moving up and away from the bodies, Neal tried to placate them. "Why are you trying to kill me? Do I at least get to know why?" He played innocent and ignorant to come off as non-threatening.

Peter could hear the smirk in the leader's voice. "You come from the wrong family. James turned on the organization and threatened the bosses, so we can't risk that you might have learned anything. We are finishing up the loose ends."

"What organization or bosses? I was always told he died in a hail of gunfire as a hero." Neal kept up his role.

"That's too bad for you then. He was actually a crooked and murderous cop who killed his superior to keep his involvement with us a secret. The boss is looking for a higher position than Senator, so we need to make sure nothing about his past is going to be coming out. Although you might not know anything, we aren't going to take any chances," they moved forwards threateningly.

Neal had managed to shift away from one side of the group and was looking for an exit. Tripping over one of the Marshals sprawled on the floor; he pulled a neat flip to land back on his feet on the other side of the fallen man. "Really? Why should I believe your story instead of what my mother and aunt always told me?" He pushed for more information.

"Because, we are going to kill you, and don't have to worry about your reaction. Did you know your aunt wasn't actually your aunt? She was actually your father's partner and the officer who investigated most of our organization. We finished her off with your mother. They begged for their lives before we fed them lead." The leader switched to taunting. He wasn't worried about his confession, there weren't supposed to be any witnesses when he was finished.

"F…fed them lead?" Neal stuttered in horror.

Laughing amongst themselves, the killers were enjoying the prospect of emotionally torturing their victim before finishing him off. "Shot them up, just like we did your father. Do you have any idea what firepower like this can do when you let it loose?"

"I don't think it's something you can forget." Neal scared Peter by alluding to having had previous experience in such shoot outs. "Remember, you have taken shots at me before."

"Your survival is something we intend to rectify, right here, and right now." They moved to begin pulling the triggers, but Neal reacted first.

"You succeeded, I'm not Neal." Then he dropped the chains showing he had freed himself.

"What the…?" The group wasn't sure what to do.

Taking advantage of their momentary surprise, not Neal started throwing punches. Hitting the leader hard and fast, he took him down, which made the rest of the team more vulnerable. Without their leader, the rest of the group went after him, each in an effort to take the threat down and complete their objective.

With mixed martial arts and dancer smooth evasive techniques, not Neal flipped over some swing kicks from two different directions before dropping to spin under a second attack of swing kicks. Coming back up with an aggressive counter-attack of his own, the man threw a couple of punches in one direction before kicking out at an opponent in the other direction.

When Peter moved to be of any assistance, the man ordered him. "Stay put, Peter, you aren't trained for this, but I am." He growled in a warning for his own protection.

Determined not to sit by and watch; Peter moved to help anyway.

Fighting his way through, the man was right in front of Peter before he could reach their attackers. "I told you, sit this one out." He pushed Peter back into the seat. "You're going home to Elizabeth." Then he spun back into the fight.

Realizing that not Neal was serious, Peter still didn't want to sit by and watch the kid get hurt. It had been bad enough last time when he had stood by and watched as he danced around bullets. This was several killers trying to finish the man off between heavy firepower and combat. How could he ever sit by and forgive himself?

Suddenly understanding, he knew who was fighting the men before him, but he still didn't know why. "Bryce… I can't sit back and do nothing."

"Obviously you figured out who I really am. There is a lot more going on here than you know, but that is a big step in the right direction." Pausing to deal out a few more pains for his attackers, Bryce resumed the conversation as he still needed to talk Peter out of joining the fight. "They aren't going to focus on attacking you while I'm keeping them busy, and you aren't going to leave even if I told you to. So, keeping you safe… while you act as a safeguard to protect the others… is the best that I can compromise with. I won't risk your safety… and later you can ask Chuck what lengths I'm willing to take in an effort to protect my friends."

Growing angry, Peter was also at a complete loss. Neal was dead, and Bryce was impersonating him in an effort to get his killers. There were still a lot of questions, but at least he knew their friendship had been real. It still didn't help the feeling of helplessness he was experiencing though.

Seeing his argument wasn't enough to keep Peter at a safe distance, Bryce upped the aggressiveness of his fighting to keep the attackers distracted by the more dangerous threat. In an effort to keep the outliers busy, he began chucking the magazines from the weapons he had managed to take at their heads or faces as hard as he could. Moving quickly, he was decimating their forces even faster.

Finally reaching the last two, he didn't hold back as he took them down. "You aren't trained for black ops combat. As much as you don't want to stand by and watch me get hurt, do you think I want to face your wife to say I let you get shot in the back by a rogue agent?" Bryce growled at Peter. "My entire career has been spent dealing with traitors and kill squads with the occasional super solider. This isn't anything compared to some of my history, but have you ever taken on such a combat situation before, Peter?"

Horrified again, Peter was at a loss for words. The allusions towards operations and agent activity meant Bryce was black ops and government-sanctioned. That didn't mean he liked being protected by his consultant, but he did have a point. "No… no, I haven't ever dealt with anything like this before." He wasn't in shock, not from the attack. It was the reveals he was still trying to catch up on.

Breathing out through his nose, Bryce seemed to let some of his frustrations go. Peter was dealing with a lot of new information and his protective side didn't deal with being idle very well. "Sit. I'll check over the Marshals and my teams should be moving in shortly." Then he put his hand up and touched his finger to something in his ear, "Copy that Casey."

The second attack struck quickly. One man approached from one direction by coming around the corner and putting two rounds into Bryce's back. Coordinating with the shots, another came from out of a side storage closet and put a round to the kid's heart and sent him spinning towards the floor.

Wincing at the cracking sound that was made when Bryce's head connected with the ground, Peter felt his stomach drop at the sight of the kid sprawled out on the floor. It was bad enough to keep his focus distracted from the two gunmen approaching him.

"Hello, boss," the first shooter who had fired two rounds into Bryce's back seemed to smirk. "Did you miss me?"

"Smith," Peter decked the man hard enough he spun on his way to the floor. He let his anger loose for not realizing Bryce was undercover, at not seeing the second attack coming, and most of all, for letting this man take Bryce's life. It didn't help much, but there was a slight relief from venting some of his furies at the responsible party in front of him.

Swinging up his weapon, the second gunman had his finger closing on the trigger. Peter wasn't watching though, his focus was on Bryce.

*******

Transfixed with their eyes on the blind corner, the group didn't know what to expect. Obviously, there was something wrong, and the others were probably involved, but the extent of the danger was unknown.

Stepping up to a position of command, Chuck waived for them all to pay attention to him. "I'm agent Larkin's counterpart and this is my partner Agent Walker." As the group at least shifted to give him some attention, he continued. "We knew the likelihood of attack and have several teams stationed throughout the building, a sniper in the gallery above to provide backup, and Bryce is one of the best-trained combatants I know. The situation is going to be okay, I just need you to remain calm and stay in your seats."

Waiving as another team moved around the corner, he signaled for them to stand guard to protect the group and ensure that none of them moved off into danger.

"Sarah and I are going to provide back up. These agents are going to keep you safe, just do as they say." He looked at them for a moment to gauge if they were going to listen to his instructions.

Observing their reactions, he wasn't entirely surprised. The Larkin family were mostly curled up to the side as they worried about how much danger they might be in, or how foolish Bryce was to get himself mixed up into such situations. The group from New York was staring off towards the distant corner, presumably in concern for their friends and loved ones who were in the center of the danger. Finally, Jonathon looked at him in relief. He seemed relieved that someone knew what was going on with Bryce and were able to provide full support. Chuck was glad he didn't have to tell him he had only been briefed because he was called as a witness.

Pausing to press his finger to the device in his ear, his eyes opened wide in worry, "Not again." He stood straighter and tried to keep the full extent of his emotions off of his face, which wasn't a small feat for such an open book.

"Sarah, we need to go, now! There is a second attack in progress and Bryce is in trouble… again." He took her hand and led them at a run down the hallway. In the distance, he could hear a squealing alarm going off from Jonathon's phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, choosing to favorite, and reviewing/commenting :D


	32. After the Storm

*******

Sitting there on the hard bench, Peter wasn't thinking through his life flashing before his eyes. Instead, it was Neal's he finally understood. He didn't have all of the details, but he could finally grasp the basics of what had been going on all along.

Ignoring the gun pointed at his head and the sounds of more footsteps approaching, Peter flinched when he heard another crack of gunfire and felt the warmth of blood.

The assailant dropped to the ground at Peter's feet with a thud. Obviously, someone was around to protect him, but his focus remained on Bryce.

Watching the kid, his eyes were open wide and he seemed to be staring blankly at Peter. He didn't blink, and there was no sign of conscious thought in his facial expression. His body seemed to be struggling though. Since he was still showing signs of life, the kid had to be wearing something protective, but it also seemed to be making it hard for him to breathe.

Moving to get up, Peter wanted to check on Bryce. He needed to help him.

Swinging their guns up at him, the rest of the second kill squad rounded the corner and made sure Peter remained in his seat. He was the only person not sprawled on the floor, so they didn't see him as a threat, but rather as the witness sitting there unarmed.

Continuing to focus on Bryce, despite the danger, Peter was horrified to watch as his body reacted more. He seemed to be fighting for breath and his face was getting paler. Then he seemed to relax as his body stopped trying, he wasn't breathing at all.

Although Peter wasn't watching them, he couldn't help but listen to the next group of attackers. "At least Agent Smith saved us one person. Pratt wanted us to make sure we finished them all off this time." The remaining leader seemed disappointed he didn't have more targets to shoot at.

"No, no, no. You have the map upside down. We are supposed to be going the other way to exit. Then we need to go left to head for our hotel." A female voice broke the atmosphere. She seemed too cheerful for the surroundings and was strangely oblivious to the danger.

"I know how to hold a map, Sarah. We are heading in the right direction." A familiar voice said. What was Chuck doing? He was bringing his wife and coming right into the fight zone!

Nearby, the guards provided another distraction as they started to groan a little bit. It seemed they had been wearing protective gear, so they had only been knocked unconscious.

Sarah took the focus again by gently showing disbelief in his navigational abilities. "If you say so, but you might notice the compass in comparison to the direction of the sun shadows puts us going in the wrong direction," she teased.

Pausing practically in the middle of the attackers, Chuck frowned and tried to flip the map around to see if it would match what Sarah was telling him.

Confused and amused, the attackers wondered how dense these people were. Who would walk with their face in a map instead of looking around once in a while to compare it to their surroundings? Also, who would walk into the middle of an armed group of killers without flinching?

"No, see," Chuck pointed to a random spot on the map, "We are exactly where we want to be."

"Right," Sarah said as she turned and punched out the nearest opponent. Then she moved to engage the rest of the attackers as quickly as she could move through them.

Dropping his map, Chuck let loose and engaged the nearest two with his own combative skills. Moving to stand between Peter and the danger, he tried to keep the other agent as safe as he could.

At one point during the fighting, Agent Smith was foolish enough to try and rise from the ground. His efforts to get back up alerted Sarah and Chuck to his conscious status. Simultaneously, they each threw a punch landing him back into a state of unconsciousness.

Unable to continue sitting still, Peter moved and at least got a good punch or two in before Chuck and Sarah had defeated the entire group. He realized he was way out of his element in combat here, but he couldn't keep observing without assisting. Bryce was turning gray and their chances to help him were running out.

When all of the opponents had been defeated, the three of them rushed to Bryce's side. He wasn't breathing and he had no pulse.

"He is dead again," Jonathon confirmed from behind them.

Startled, the group reacted slightly to ensure there wasn't going to be another threat.

"How do you know that?" Sarah questioned. She was pulling knives out for Peter and Chuck to cut off his protective gear. Then she focused on breathing for Bryce.

"I'm his lawyer and run his civilian life. Years ago he set up an alert system to use my phone for a notice when he dies or is brought back to life. This is the third time it has gone off." He stood behind hoping the system would stop alerting him of his friend's demise. There wasn't room for him to assist beyond a reading of Bryce's vitals through the technical system.

Working together, Peter and Chuck got the jacket and shirt cut away before they went to work on the body armor. It was a new design being field-tested and it was lightweight to a point of being nearly unnoticeable, but it was also flexible for the movement in the fighting. However, it had a flaw to be fixed, because it was too constricting once his body began to react to the repeated close-range impacts from the bullets.

Once Bryce was no longer restricted by the armor, Peter began to do the chest compressions in a hope of getting his heart to beat again.

In a team effort, Sarah breathed, Peter did chest compressions, Chuck rattled stuff off that no one understood, and Jonathon kept an eye on Bryce's vitals. Each one was doing what they could to help bring their friend back to life.

After several moments of fighting, they were getting more desperate for any sign Bryce was going to live. Then he breathed on his own. It wasn't a lungful of air, but the little bit was enough to make them feel better.

Settling back, Sarah and Peter relaxed in their efforts as Bryce was going on his own, but they kept their focus on him as he had given them quite a scare.

It didn't take long for paramedics and other personnel to respond to the attack. Soon the group was forced to step back while the medical professionals took over.

Finding his way back to his previous seat, Peter needed a moment to try and pull himself together. A lot had occurred in only fifteen minutes.

"We're going to make sure Bryce reaches the hospital safely. Are you up to bringing the rest of the group and meeting us there?" Chuck was talking to Jonathon. The lawyer seemed to be holding it together better. Once he agreed, Chuck reached out to squeeze Peter's shoulder. He tried to provide some comfort to the stunned agent before he left with Sarah.

Shaking his head and taking a deep breath, Peter managed to dispel some of the shock from his system. He was still spinning mentally and emotionally, but he could function some again. Peter gave himself a quick check over and decided he was probably going to lose his jacket. It had the blood from one of the assailants all over it. Since it wasn't going to be spared anyway, Peter used the jacket to wipe himself off until he had removed the worst of the mess. Although he wasn't exactly presentable, it would have to do.

"We need to tell the others what is going on. I assume the shots could be heard from the hallway?" He asked Jonathon.

"Yes, we could hear the shots and the others are rather worried," Jonathon confirmed. Then he stopped Peter by placing a hand on each of his shoulders. "Are you alright? You were right there through it all and had to watch Bryce die."

Shuddering, Peter could do without the reminder. "I'm physically alright. Everyone felt the need to protect me, so I'm not hurt. As for the rest… I don't know yet. My head is still spinning and I haven't gotten the chance to deal with everything he revealed back there."

"Take a moment and catch your breath. You seem to be a little out of it. Although you are an agent, and extremely good according to Bryce, that wasn't something you routinely deal with in White Collar," Jonathon supported him.

Peter learned more about what Bryce appreciated in the man. Not only was he smart and capable of keeping secrets, big ones, but he was also caring enough to help his friend's friend despite his own emotions.

Breathing as directed, Peter checked on Jonathon. The man was a lawyer and not accustomed to death or serious combat situations at all, "How about you? Are you alright?"

Smiling slightly, Jonathon knew he and Peter were building a foundation towards a friendship of their own. They would never be as close as Peter was with Bryce, but it would be enough to enjoy each other's company when Bryce brought them together. "I'm generally fine too. This isn't my first experience with Bryce getting killed in action, but it is my first time seeing him dead for myself. There will probably be nightmares and some serious conversations with him once he is better, but I'll be alright."

Having calmed down some from talking about it, Peter looked better, so Jonathon let him start walking again.

Reaching the hallway with the main group, they were met with gasps of horror and worried expressions.

Elizabeth was up and in Peter's arms as quickly as she could close the distance. She had been so worried about her husband, so to see him again was a great relief.

The others weren't so fortunate. They were relieved to see Peter safe, but Neal wasn't there to relieve their fears for him.

"Where is Neal?" was Sara's question. Peter had blood on him, so she wondered who it belonged to.

Taking another deep breath and holding Elizabeth closer to his side, Peter tried to find the strength to share what had happened. Since he had more of a connection and position of authority, it was his job to update the others. "Neal is agent Bryce Larkin undercover. He was impersonating the con in an effort to get the murderers of the entire Caffrey family so he could bring them to justice. Two kill squads worth of them attacked, and although they have all been subdued, they did manage to technically kill Bryce as well. We got him back after a fight, and his counterparts are accompanying him to the hospital. Now we are supposed to meet them there while the task force takes care of the scene here," Peter kept it short.

"Is he going to be okay?" June asked.

None of them liked the image of their young friend lying dead on the floor.

"I don't know. Apparently, he has been briefly killed in action before, so we'll have to wait and see what the doctor says," Peter shuddered again. He had more than enough ammunition to fuel many nightmares, and he didn't want to add to it by knowing how else the young man had been killed in the past.

Sara had tears running down her face as she began to cry softly, so June took her into a hug and they cried on each other's shoulders. Elizabeth was leaning into Peter for support while he held her close for his own need for comfort. Jonathon had moved to stand close to Peter's other shoulder to support the older man, but also because he knew they were both worried about their friend's continued health.

On the other side of the area, the Larkin family had different reactions. They were surprised to hear Bryce was an agent but unimpressed to learn he taken a case that sounded so demeaning. Why was a Larkin playing a common criminal to catch some murderers? Sure, murder was an awful thing to do, but wasn't there someone else to chase after them?

Mrs. Wymond and Clara were sad to hear of Bryce's situation and concerned they had accused him of impersonating himself. They hadn't treated him like family when they had last seen him, but then they hadn't known either.

Felix was proud to have been able to see through his brother's charades, he had been right in assuming he was Bryce playing a joke. Didn't that make him so observant, and wasn't he so intelligent to have figured it out? He was back to using Bryce as a means of gaining attention for himself.

Richard and Wyatt were more concerned with paying the required hospital visit and wondering how much of an inconvenience Bryce's hospital stay would be for their social calendar. There were parties to attend, the business to oversee, and other more important things to do than sit on a bedside vigilance.

Working together, Peter and Jonathon got the group to assemble and began the process of moving them to the hospital waiting room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, reviewing/commenting, choosing to favorite, and following my stories and me :D
> 
> For those of you who may have checked out the Pinterest board for this, it now has the pin with the secret of Neal's fate put back and it's been organized into sections for easier viewing.


	33. Waiting with Stories

********

Arriving at the emergency waiting room, Peter was the first to enter with Elizabeth, Sara, and June right behind him. Seeing Chuck and Sarah waiting in a side corner full of empty seats, he headed in their direction for answers, "How is he?" It was the first thing that mattered.

"He made the drive to the hospital safely and nothing seemed to be going wrong, but head injuries are tricky. My sister is a brain surgeon, so I have heard enough stories…" Chuck trailed off as he tried to shove those stories out of his head. This wasn't the time for his imagination to conjure up every worst scenario possible. Having an Intersect wasn't helping either. "There is hope he will have a full recovery until we are told otherwise."

Holding his hand in response to his distress and the pain from the Intersect flashing on so many possibilities, Sarah tried to provide some comfort for him while seeking it for herself. She was no longer romantically interested in Bryce, but she still had a history with him.

Squeezing her hand back, Chuck knew she was upset by what had happened too. He didn't feel as insecure about their relationship anymore, but he understood that she still had her history with Bryce.

Taking seats around each other, the group introduced themselves, and soon they were joined by the Larkin family.

After they had gotten their update as to what Bryce's condition was, the Larkin group settled in to comfort each other, or to discuss other topics until there was a new development. Although they were present in support of Bryce, much of it was due to family obligations and not so much about a real bond to concern them. He wasn't close to most of them, and those he had a bond with hadn't been close in several years.

Given the choice between the two groups, Jonathon moved to sit with the rest of Bryce's friends in an attempt to get acquainted. He had heard so much about them over the years and he was curious to meet them himself. "Do you mind if I take a seat over here?"

"No, you're welcome to join us," Peter waived at the seats. He had begun to get to know the man and welcomed his company.

The group sat in silence as each dwelled on their own thoughts and emotions.

Elizabeth was caught up in anxiously watching the back doors. Each time a person of the medical staff walked through, she tensed up and observed which direction they went hoping news would be on its way. After several minutes, she needed a break for her nerves. Distracting herself the best way possible, she tried to get to know Bryce's friends and who the man was through them.

Continuing to struggle, Peter welcomed Elizabeth's suggestion. He couldn't pull himself to join the conversation at first, but he did enjoy the prospect of a peripheral view from the sidelines.

Listening, Peter heard Jonathan share the details of Bryce's early years. His mother's death, his removal to boarding school, and the almost abandonment as his family barely retained contact with him. Hugging Elizabeth as she curled into his side, he knew she shared his feelings of pity and sympathy for the young man while wondering how his family could treat him so coldly.

Cracking a smile, Peter reacted in response to Jonathon's efforts at lightening the mood. He hadn't been paying much attention to the nerdy humor and stories about the formation of their friendship, but he was glad to know Jonathon had been there to support their friend when he needed it.

Growing more interested as the group decided to tell Bryce's life story from their perspectives in order of occurrence, Peter figured it would be a prime opportunity to learn more about who his friend really was.

The stories progressed from Jonathon's tales of boarding school to Chuck sharing their college experiences.

Smirking mischievously, Chuck settled in to tell as many tales as possible. "There are things Bryce wouldn't want me to share, but since he is unconscious, this is a prime opportunity for me to fill you in." Then he proceeded to tell the basic story of how they had met and their friendship had begun.

"I thought you were going to tell us more interesting stories?" Jonathon lightly interrupted. He was interested to get to know Chuck, and teasing him was a good way to start.

Seeing that Jonathon was trying to tease him, Chuck allowed it but pretended to be impatient with his interruption. "I'm getting there Jonathon, but I want to build the foundation by telling how we met."

"Are you sure he won't wake up just to keep you quiet? You should share these stories while you have a chance," Jonathon continued to pester.

"Be quiet, or it will be your fault for all of your interruptions," Chuck reprimanded him playfully. "Now, while I have the chance, we should get into the more fun details about our mutual friend." He proceeded to tell them about Bryce's habits back in college. Anything from his odd peculiarities to his embarrassing acts of stupidity, to various failures, were covered. Being kind enough to hold the worst things back, Chuck still let several things be known by Bryce's other friends.

Taking mental notes, Peter loved collecting real stories about his friend, but there were still several things he wished to know. Continuing to listen, he hoped to reach those points in the conversation eventually.

Grinning evilly, Jonathon was thrilled to collect the stories, "Teasing Bryce is going to get a lot more entertaining now with fresh material."

"Oh be nice, you boys are so mean," Elizabeth teased. She was enjoying the stories and wanted to tease Bryce as well, but they seemed to be taking it more seriously.

Jostling her lightly, Peter wasn't taking it, "You're enjoying collecting these stories for your own purposes, so don't pretend to judge us."

Smiling slightly, Elizabeth gave him a reproving glance, "Shush, you aren't supposed to oust me like that."

Amused, the group was beginning to enjoy the comradery. They just wished it was occurring under better circumstances.

Then Peter was asked to join the conversation more actively by sharing his introduction to Neal Caffrey.

Having enjoyed the teasing and banter between the growing friendships, Peter hoped his part of the story would be accepted as well as the rest had been. Questioning for where to start, he asked: "Does anyone know who I met that day at the bank, about the forged bonds?"

"Bryce, it was always Bryce you knew as Neal," Chuck clarified.

Relieved, Peter was glad to know he hadn't been fooled so far as to confuse two people. Instead, he had met one man impersonating another. That made it easier to handle because his friend was still alive in the back room. He didn't know the young man who had been killed after starting the character.

"If I tell you my story, you get to tell me what was really going on, deal?" Peter offered Chuck.

"Agreed, at least as much as I can, the situation is an open case file after all," Chuck promised.

With the relief of answers in sight, Peter began to share the tale of how he had met his friend. They were fond memories for him after having spent time working with Bryce. Recounting his history with the agent, Peter found himself genuinely smiling, especially when he brought up the sucker incident.

Having completed his introduction, he turned to Chuck eagerly waiting for the real story.

Obliging as promised, Chuck shared something of the real Neal's past going into wit-sec before running away to become a con man. Then he skimmed through the forging of the bonds before ending with the horrors of his death. With a shake, he tried to remove the imagery provided by the attacks that had transpired earlier in the day. Transitioning to the more appealing topic of how Bryce took up the role, he shared what made him the choice. "The decision to place Bryce in his shoes was made when someone found how similar they were. Unfortunately, they dropped the files when they were going to share their plan, and based on how difficult it was to separate them, it was finalized as a good idea. Although the files might still have mistakes between them, it was that challenging to tell them apart, most of Neal's life before moving to New York is the real Neal while Bryce portrayed him after.

Picking up the next portion of the story, Jonathon shared the third angle depicting what Bryce had been doing in his private life between his fieldwork. This meant sharing some of his own past, which made him more interesting to his audience.

"After we graduated high school, I went off to law school where I met my wife. We lived in the clouds until she got sick, and after she passed, our fortune disappeared with the market and some bad investments. Then Bryce found me trying to pick myself back up, so he offered me stable employment. It was during the period after his graduation and before he was assigned to play Neal, so it was a good time for him to make his back up plans. Working off of his original intentions with Chuck, he changed from games to designing training programs to make fieldwork safer for himself and other agents since he had become invested in the field. We set up the legal foundation for the company and hired a teacher from our boarding school days to manage it. Simula Scripts was born, and Bryce was secretly the owner behind it. Since everything from his cover life to his work was stationed in Washington, it was decided to also give him some element of a foundation in the city. He purchased an apartment that I take care of in addition to overseeing his finances. This way he has a landing pad between operations, and he is always taken care of financially."

Bringing up a question that had been bothering him, Peter pushed for the truth behind the lawyer's knowledge of Bryce's life. "How did you know he was alive? Even though Bryce has a full death certificate, you have still been running his life. And don't give me the 'will' story again, this time I would like to know the truth." Peter had already heard the cover story, so he pushed for the real answer.

Holding up his phone, Jonathon shared the truth. "Bryce carries tech that he is always aloud to retain, even in prison. It reads his stats, like his pulse, to tell me when he is technically dead and when he has been revived. The device then transmits a signal which is relayed to my cell phone. Don't ask me how he put it all together because I have no technical understanding of that level of engineering."

After a brief pause, the group directed the stories to continue. Sara had avoided it long enough, and her turn came up next.

Learning the basics of their partnership, Elizabeth asked, "How did your relationship turn romantic?" She knew how she had gotten her agent, but she was curious if the spy world was different.

Looking a little awkward, Sarah wasn't sure what to say. "I think I need to describe the environment we were working at the time… The environment spies are usually in."

Diving in with Chuck's support, Sarah knew delaying the inevitable wasn't going to help. "The life of a spy is one of secrets, change, and danger. We changed our identities from one week to another in order to pursue some new target that changed just as often, and no one ever got close enough to know who we really were… not even our partners. It was secluded and lonely, so we turned to the only available person who was there from one week to the next, each other. Still, despite the years we were together romantically and professionally, he still doesn't know my real name, and I didn't know anything about the real him, or that he was slipping off to play another role as Caffrey."

Curious, Peter wondered if Bryce was just professionally distant, or if he was a secretive person in general. He had been partners with him for a few years and hadn't known the real person either.

"With spies, your friend of today could be your enemy tomorrow, and your enemy today could likewise be your friend tomorrow. Although there needs to be an element of trust, there is never complete and open honesty in our field. It's too dangerous to give someone that kind of leverage over you," Sarah further explained the world she had been in with Bryce.

Feeling oddly relieved, Sara was glad to learn that Sarah wasn't much of a rival threat. She was obviously in love with Chuck, and she didn't seem to feel a current romantic attachment based on her more factual focus of her story. Still, the information she shared made Bryce's relationship with her both better and worse. This other woman wasn't a competitor, but it put Sara on less stable ground, was she a relationship of convenience for him as Neal? Worried about the truth, Sara both wished to ask him, and dreaded what his answer might be.

Filling the growing silence, Peter propelled the conversation forward again by taking his next part in the storytelling. "It took me three years chasing Bryce around the world before I caught him. He always seemed to be out there plotting something, but I never knew what until after the crime had been committed. Now I'm sure some of it was because he would have been bouncing around as an agent at times, and therefore he wasn't always on my radar as a White Collar criminal, but I also think it was because he is one deviously intelligent person. Somehow, he managed to keep me believing he was a con, you said you knew nothing about him being Neal Caffrey, and I'm now very curious about Mozzie's perspective, but I suppose that will have to wait. In the meanwhile, I'll tell you how I arrested him."

"He is rather devious," Jonathon and Chuck said in unison before smiling slightly at their joint thought.

"Save that for your turns" Peter directed before he started into his next story.

When he finished, Sarah explained how Bryce had been pulled for another assignment after being targeted for recruitment by an enemy. This led to Chuck sharing what Bryce had been doing in his life during his alleged stay in prison.

Working together, the couple carried the conversation for a while by entertaining the group with their happy stories.

Enjoying the love story, Elizabeth asked guiding questions and pushed for information until the group had a good understanding of how their relationship had come about. It was adventurous and exciting, something different from any she had heard before.

Feeling Elizabeth shake him, Peter realized he had zoned out from the conversation that had been transpiring around him.

"I thought you could tell us about how Bryce came to be working for you as a CI," Chuck helped him in finding a place to start.

Taking the hint that it was back to being his turn, Peter began filling the group in on the more recent events from Neal's escape to a general summary of what had brought them together in the hospital waiting room.

Transitioning the conversation, they moved from telling Bryce's story to their reactions to it. He was a friend to all of them, but they had all been missing huge parts of who he really was.

Showing common ground, Chuck focused on Peter and their shared feelings of confusion and anger.

Appreciating the effort, Peter was still dealing with the raw feelings. He had managed to delay some of the effects, but the conversation coming to an end meant the barrier was gone and his feelings would have to be dealt with.

"That is a pretty good summary of it. He seemed to betray me, I got angry, and then he turned out to be doing something admirable, so now I feel like a horrible friend. On top of that, he was hurt under my watch and technically died right in front of me… and I couldn't do anything to help him." Peter found himself sharing deeper emotions than he usually did with people.

"Been there and done that too," Chuck continued to show how he had been down the same path. "We were coming to help him after we learned of a traitor in his protection team. Unfortunately, I dropped in too late and could only talk to him as he died before taking his place. Sometimes there is nothing you can do, even when it is happening right in front of you."

Relieved that Chuck seemed to be helping Peter, Elizabeth could see he wasn't over what had happened, but at least Chuck's words were a start in the right direction.

Distracted by a sudden voice near them, the group jumped, "Family of Bryce Larkin?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, commenting/reviewing, leaving kudos, and choosing to favorite :D


	34. Waiting for a Visit

*******

"We are over here," Richard flagged the doctor over to where the Larkin family was seated.

As she moved to join them, she was slightly surprised when the rest of the people in the area moved to follow her. "Are you family of Agent Larkin as well?"

Stepping forward as the spokesperson, Jonathon had the most leverage. "I'm his lawyer and friend, while these are his friends and fellow agents. We are concerned about his well being and would like to know what his condition is."

Glancing at the family, the doctor got a nod of confirmation, so she allowed all of them to group around for the prognosis. "Agent Larkin received three bullets to his body armor at close range. Although they didn't cause any particular damage, the impact did cause his body to swell, which in turn caused him to suffocate to death. My concern is the lack of oxygen combined with the head trauma that seems to still be affecting him. We have done brain scans, and there doesn't appear to be any particular damage, but he has still slipped into a coma."

Zoning out the following statements, Peter only heard Chuck question the doctor and her responses as background noise. Their conversation drifted into medical terms and details he didn't understand. His focus was stuck on the last words he had heard.

Bryce was in a coma, and there was a chance he would never wake up.

Hanging his head, Peter found himself silently praying for his fallen friend. The tears pooled in the corners of his eyes and his heart ached in misery for the potential loss he was facing. Only Elizabeth jarring him back into motion and guiding him towards the waiting room was able to distract him from the pain.

Walking up, Peter found another distraction as a small red-headed woman joined their group. Curious as to her identity, he observed her for the walk up.

Based on his observations, he assumed she was the boss behind the operation. She talked to Chuck and Sarah with an air of official command. Then once she had her information, she disappeared with her phone to her ear.

Unable to muster anything more than basic curiosity, Peter didn't pay much attention to her departure. Instead, he focused on the entrance into the private waiting room. It was where they would wait for their turns to see Bryce while enjoying the privacy to release emotions.

Dividing out into their separate groups again, Peter wondered why the Larkins weren't interested in their comradery or shared comfort.

Jonathon reminded them of the Larkin pride. "I come from a financial background making me somewhat acceptable, while the rest of you have neither wealth nor social rank to commend you. Although Clara and Mrs. Wymond would be more inclined to talk, they are occupied with distracting the others," with a shrug he indicated it was simply their perspective and not his personal opinion.

Working to adjust to the Larkin family, the group asked various questions and Jonathon did his best to explain without giving offense.

They talked through the family pride, Felix's penchant for seeking attention in unhealthy ways, and how Bryce's death was missed. Although they didn't like the answers, the group continued to seek understanding.

Sitting with Elizabeth curled into his side; Peter knew she was thinking the same thing as him. How could Richard and Wyatt ignore their own relations to such an extent?

Reflecting on what he had learned, Peter wondered why Bryce hadn't helped the situation. After going away to college, the kid had slowly reduced his contact with the family until he eventually dropped all ties after graduation. It made sense once he was recruited, but why not retain something of family ties before that? Did he give up on his family? Would he give up on them too? They had been pushing him away for months and hadn't trusted him or given him the benefit of a doubt when he told the truth. Wincing, Peter remembered Bryce's comment by the pool of his family home. Their friendship was unforgiving.

Opening his eyes desperately, Peter needed something of hope for the future. He had broken their friendship, so he would have to take the first steps toward fixing it. "What do you think will happen once he recovers? Is he going back into the Black Ops field?" Maybe if Bryce had some remnant of work to finish, then they could talk things through.

"It will depend on our boss. She is on her phone making arrangements, so we'll see what she determines. I can tell you, Bryce will be finding ways to visit, even if he is sent back into the active field. From what he said about you in the brief times we did get to talk, he thinks very highly of all of you," Chuck answered vaguely, but hopefully.

Sighing, Peter felt some of his tension leave. If Bryce was still talking highly of them in prison and willing to visit, then there was hope their friendship would be recovered.

Sara was interested in knowing more about their boss in the hopes of learning what her opinion might be.

"She 'is Director-General Diane Beckman, the little redhead who joined us coming up here," the other Sarah answered.

"And she is standing right behind us," Chuck added helpfully causing the group to turn and see the woman in question standing at his back where he could probably feel her breath through his hair.

Her focus was trained on Peter. "Agent Burke, a word," She calmly ordered before turning away expecting him to follow.

Letting her lead to a side room, Peter was curious about what she would have to say. "General," he acknowledged as they reached their private conference.

"I wish to speak to you about Bryce and the many charges stacked against him," she got right to the point.

Hanging his head, Peter felt ashamed he had missed everything pertaining to Bryce's cover role as Neal.

Smirking slightly in an effort to ease his nerves, the general took a moment to let her compassion show. "Don't sell yourself short, Agent Burke," she started with a comment far from what he expected.

Looking up at her in surprise, Peter wondered where the encouragement came from, "What?" He couldn't help but list the many ways he had messed up on the assignment. "I failed to see any of this coming, despite him warning me he was in danger from some unknown threat. I failed to find the actual perpetrators because I was so sure he was guilty. He told me he was being framed, but I skewed the evidence with my perspective instead of following my instinct. Worst of all, I failed to do anything but watch him die three feet from me… I saw the effort he was putting into trying to breathe, I saw him turning blue around the lips, and I saw the moment when death won! I am not selling myself short, because I really did mess up big time on this!" His frustrations bubbled to the surface and had to be vented.

Continuing to share her rare soft side, the general smiled at him. "He has been dancing around the most brilliant minds of government all along. Before me, he reported to Director Graham, who never knew he was working on the project he is now in charge of while being mentored by its elusive creator. For me, well let's just say he keeps me on my toes as much as he does everyone else." Picking up her stern persona again, she continued. "You have one of the best agents I have ever seen under your command, and he doesn't have his rank or command for nothing. His cover was of extreme importance for several agencies so we kept you out of the loop for his safety. Based on how quickly you have figured everything out, he isn't wrong about you. Now, I must admit, I have had my doubts about you, but Bryce never did, and I have learned to trust his instincts."

Although he wasn't exactly feeling better, Peter did appreciate the general's words of encouragement. Perhaps someday he could be amused by Bryce's tendency to dance around his opponents, even if they were technically friends, but the kid would have to live before it would even be possible.

Redirecting the conversation back to her original intent, Beckman had more information she needed to address with him, "There is also the matter of clearing his name again."

Perking up, Peter was glad to hear there was hope. "How? The evidence is all stacked against him, circumstantial as it may be."

Showing the trick up her sleeve, the general shared the beginnings of how. "Don't forget, Bryce has been investigating the cases too. Although he doesn't have full proof of all of the perpetrators, he does have more than enough to clear his own name. My agencies will be bringing this data to your team later this afternoon. I hope you won't disappoint by not solving them all adequately." She left off the conversation with a challenge. It gave Peter something to work towards as a distraction until Bryce recovered.

Ending their conversation, the two walked back to the waiting room where the others had been quietly conversing amongst themselves.

Taking his seat next to Elizabeth, Peter observed while Chuck and Sarah were next pulled aside for a private conversation. Cuddling his wife into his side, Peter had hope to hang on too, but he was still very worried for his friend.

"What did she have to say?" Elizabeth asked quietly.

Kissing her head, Peter was still feeling a moment of hopeful reprieve. "That Bryce is always devious and keeping everyone on their toes, including her. Then she told me the evidence to clear Bryce's name is being brought into the office this afternoon and laid the challenge for us to solve all of the cases. Also, she doesn't have faith in me, but Bryce always has, and she has learned to trust his instincts."

Smiling slightly, Elizabeth was also feeling hopeful. "Then you'll have to head into the office after you see him. It would be nice to have the cases wrapped up and his name cleared before he is up and about again."

Before Peter could respond, the nurse came their way and directed them towards Bryce's room. With instructions not to crowd him, they were each given a short visit before being encouraged to go home.

After the Larkin family had seen Bryce, they each went home and didn't hang around any longer than necessary. On their way out, most of them requested to be kept up to date on Bryce's condition while handing their cards to Jonathon. Clara and Mrs. Wymond promised they would continue to visit when they could.

Taking the next turn at visiting Bryce, Peter hugged Elizabeth and held her close for a moment. He needed strength before he went to see his best friend. Although Bryce was alive, there wasn't a guarantee he would stay that way, and after all of the trauma he had been through recently, it probably wasn't going to look good seeing him lying in the hospital bed. Breathing deeply, he let go and walked off down the hall.

Reaching Bryce's room, Peter paused just outside the door as a last-ditch attempt to steady his nerves for the sight waiting for him.

Opening the door and walking in, he was confronted with the expected sight. The room had several machines arranged around Bryce's bed with the ventilator breathing for him, others measuring his statistics, while others connected to lines running fluids in or out of his body. Saving the man for last, Peter let his eyes trace closer to his friend as he took in his surroundings and moved closer. Once he did finally pause to observe Bryce himself, Peter felt like he couldn't move for a moment as his heart and mind focused on his condition.

If he didn't know better, Peter would have thought Bryce was simply sleeping because his body was so still, but there was something restful missing. He was too still, to a point of being unnatural for such an active person. Then there were the colorful bruises visible across much of his head, chest, and even some faded ones along his arms from the previous attempts on his life. The hospital gown and openings for wires made more of his skin visible which was why Peter hadn't noticed all of the colors before.

Feeling drawn to his friend's side, Peter needed reassurance that the machines weren't creating an illusion, that Bryce was indeed still alive. Taking the young man's hand in one of his own, he was relieved to feel its warmth, which was a good sign.

For a few moments, Peter simply stood there with Bryce's hand in his while he thought through several memories of their friendship and events from their partnership in the field. Why had he missed so much? He knew Neal had been a mystery, but he didn't expect him to be hiding all of this.

As his time drew to a close, Peter lifted his other hand to ruffle Bryce's hair lightly. He had to be careful of the ventilator, but he still felt the need to offer as much comfort to his prostrate friend as he could.

With his time up, Peter shifted his fingers through Bryce's hair one last time as he let his hand down. "I'm going to do my best to clear your name and solve these cases, but I need you to wake up. Wake up, Bryce." Having said his piece, Peter pulled his hand back carefully before walking out.

Returning to the waiting room, Peter's depression had obviously returned, so the others knew it wasn't going to be a pretty sight.

Meeting him on his feet, Chuck stood up to shake Peter's hand. "Our orders are to keep him safe. No one is going to hurt him any further under our watch," he promised.

"I hope you have better luck at that than I did," Peter couldn't help but remark. "Keep me up to date on his condition?"

Nodding in promise, Chuck took Sarah and they left to take their turn before standing guard.

"Go get them, honey. I'll be waiting when you finish," Elizabeth promised with a kiss.

"Thanks, hon. I love you," Peter kissed her back.

"Love you too," Elizabeth responded as she sent him off.

Bidding goodbye to the others, Peter was soon headed to the office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, commenting/reviewing, leaving kudos, following, and choosing to Favorite :D


	35. Reporting and Vigilance

*******

Walking into the FBI building with slumped shoulders and a distressed appearance, Peter suddenly remembered he was still partially covered in dry blood. The whispers were already spreading through the building as people noticed he was returning from the court in such a state. Ignoring it for the moment, he had to inform his team before he retrieved his back up suit.

Riding the elevator, he tried to come up with a way to break the news. All he could come up with was telling Hughes first, before having his support to tell the rest of the team.

Diana wasn't going to be happy with him, because he hadn't called her yet, but so much had been happening and he didn't know what to say, even now when he generally understood what was going on.

Reaching his floor and exiting the elevator, Peter heard the silence follow him as he walked through the room and up the stairs. As he closed the door to Hughes' office, he heard the break as whispers started below.

"We messed this up big time… I messed this up," He entered his boss's office with hardly a knock.

Hughes was only slightly startled because he had noticed Peter's entrance below when everything went silent. Closing his folder, Hughes focused his attention on Peter knowing the agent wasn't going to be so flustered for nothing. "Why don't you start from the beginning?" He directed Peter to take a seat.

Forcing himself to settle down again, Peter took the seat as directed. "Everything blew up today and now we are being directed to solve the cases and finish everything." He held up his hand, "Start from the beginning, I know."

Breathing deeply to calm down, Peter organized his thoughts for a moment before getting started. Running through the general gist of the story, as he would have to repeat it again shortly, Peter filled Hughes in on what he had learned.

As the story progressed, Hughes became more and more surprised and better understood why Peter was reacting so strongly, "I see. How is Bryce?"

"Not good," Peter didn't want to say Bryce's condition. He wouldn't be able to hold it together after those pictures hit him again. If he bided his time, then maybe he could retreat to clean up after telling the team. That way he would have some private time to pull himself together from rehashing his emotions.

"That blood… is it Bryce's?" Hughes asked to get a better picture of why he was such a mess.

"No, one of the guys who shot Bryce tried to put a bullet through my head, because I was outnumbered and unarmed. However, Bryce had backup including a sniper. He saved my life, but I still got covered with blood spatter," Peter said.

Deciding it was best to tell the team and allow Peter his retreat to focus on solving the case, Hughes directed Peter to join him in standing, "Are you ready to tell the team?"

"The sooner they are told, the sooner we can get to work settling things down. Besides, we are also expecting information from the other agencies, so we might as well be ready when it gets here." Peter took a few moments to prepare before moving to the door.

*******

While the others talked, Chuck and Sarah didn't spend long in Bryce's room. They were going to be stationed right outside his door, so they planned on making many smaller trips to visit.

Reaching out to gently lay his hand on Bryce's shoulder, Chuck wanted to let his friend know he was present, "Hey, buddy. This time you aren't going to wake up in enemy hands, or without the face of a friend. We are going to be standing guard, and the others are practically camping out in the waiting room. Get your rest, but don't forget to wake up for us, we are all looking forward to talking to you." With a gentle squeeze for a physical connection to the comatose man, Chuck released his hold and went out to take his place as guardian. He wasn't going to fail his friend this time.

Since she was alone, Sarah took advantage of the opportunity to be a little more personal with her former partner and ex-boyfriend. "I never thanked you for sending Chuck the Intersect. Your actions drove me to follow it and caused me to meet him. It probably wasn't your intention to introduce us, but I'm grateful all the same." She wasn't sure what to do, so she mimicked Chuck in a more feminine way of stroking Bryce's shoulder before walking out to the hallway.

*******

Stepping out onto the landing, Hughes waved for the rest of the team to pay attention. It was time to get answers.

Eagerly focusing on them, the agents looked for the real story instead of their speculation.

Giving Peter the floor as the eye witness, Hughes let him tell what had happened in his own words.

"I messed up pretty big on this one, and we were all taken for a spin. There have been three cases we suspected Neal of, and he has been virtually ostracized because of our belief in his guilt… but we were wrong," he leaned against the railing with his fingers curled around it for support.

"Did the trial go badly?" was asked.

"It didn't even get started. Agent Larkin's case exploded first," Peter answered as he forced himself to glance over the team. He kept his eyes from landing on any single person but tried to show a strength he wasn't feeling.

Holding up his hand, Hughes quieted the team's curiosity, while Peter shifted his life grip on the railing before continuing. "Neal Caffrey was murdered several years ago before he appeared in New York, but after he forged the bonds. From what I understand of the circumstances, the murderers slaughtered him and his entire family, despite them being split up. Because they were all either in State's Evidence or Wit-sec, the government launched an investigation and placed agent Bryce Larkin, Neal's doppelganger, as the decoy to draw the killers out. He found them, but today the killers made their run at the courthouse and got him." Shuddering, Peter found the images floating through his mind again. "Bryce was shot repeatedly and has a head injury from when he collided with the floor. Now he is in a coma… with no guarantee of waking up."

Seeing Peter's distress, Hughes gave him a moment to deal with the pictures flooding through his mind by taking the next stage. "Since agent Larkin was a part of a multi-agency task force, some of the evidence has been withheld from us up to this point in order to keep him as safe as possible. Now we'll be getting the full picture to close these cases as quickly as possible with the help of the other agencies. The evidence is to be expected at any time."

As Peter regained his focus, Hughes let him take the lead again while the team looked for more details. What followed was a sort of question and answer session.

"How did he survive the attack at all?" Jones asked in wonder. Several shots would be fatal and should have killed Bryce, not left him in a coma.

"He was wearing full body armor because he knew an attack was likely. Taking so many bullets caused enough damage his system swelled up, and combined with the head trauma, he laid there and suffocated while we couldn't do anything about it. I watched him die three feet from me." Shuddering again, he finished answering. "His other friends and I teamed up to bring him back."

"Is there any further news on agent Smith?" Someone else asked.

"He is the one who put two rounds into Bryce's back. I knocked him out and then Bryce's counterparts knocked him out again when he regained consciousness. Now he is in the custody of some agency or another, Casey was the agent in charge of handling the arrests." Peter was no longer so concerned about the former agent. He would face charges for what he did.

Finishing their questions, the team gained a general understanding of what all had happened and realized some of the trauma Peter was dealing with. Transitioning into a work mode, the team began shifting their caseloads around and preparing for the coming slew of additional work.

This shift in focus allowed Peter the leniency to retreat to the locker rooms where he could get clean clothes and a hot shower.

*******

Going to visit Bryce, Elizabeth settled into the seat next to his bed. It was arranged so she could converse with him, but also to keep her out of the way of the machines. Reaching out and touching his hand, she covered it with her own as she tried to come up with what to say.

"I'm sorry, Bryce. When Peter said the treasure had been stolen, and he suspected you of committing the crime, I couldn't help but believe it too." Her eyes were getting bright with unshed tears. "Over the last few months there wasn't a single time where I took the effort to see you, to defend you, or think of you as much of anything beyond the con artist who was making life difficult for Peter and I. Now I know it wasn't fair to think so badly of you, but at the time…" As her eyes continued to get brighter, they reached a point where they began to overflow. With tears beginning to stream down her face, she started to use the tissues in an effort to catch them.

Not knowing if he could hear her, she figured it wouldn't hurt if she continued in her apology. If nothing else, it would give her practice for when he woke up. "I hope you will forgive me when you wake up. Now I know more of who you really are, I would like to be friends again."

Having taken her first run at apologizing to him, she switched to spending the rest of her time talking about possible plans that could become a reality in the future, things she figured Bryce would enjoy.

Thinking on a more positive topic stemmed the flow of tears and gave way to tentative smiles. There wasn't a specific reason to feel hope, but making plans to please her friend did help. Being a planner, it was what she did for a living, so the normalcy helped to soothe her nerves.

When her turn ended, she returned to the waiting room where she would be spending as much time as possible until Bryce woke up.

*******

At first, Peter enjoyed the feeling of being clean as the blood washed down the drain. It was bad enough to be covered in his own blood, but for it to be someone else's made him feel even dirtier. Once there was nothing left to scrub off, he was in a hurry to get dressed and return to his office. Trashing the tarnished suit, he grabbed the spare and was soon dressed.

With a quick stride, he was soon back up to the office and knocking on Hughes' door, "Has the evidence arrived yet?"

Looking up, Hughes studied his second in command for a moment. He looked a great deal better simply having the blood washed off and a change of clean clothes, but he was more concerned with the man himself. Observing him, he noticed his hands were steadier and his general countenance seemed to be somewhat relaxed. Feeling more at ease, Hughes answered the question. "No, it hasn't been seen yet, but I presume it will arrive soon enough. Why don't you write your statement while you wait? It will give you something to do and get the task over with so you won't have to delve back into it later."

Nodding his head, Peter knew it was a wise recommendation. If he worked through the worst of it as soon as possible, then he would hopefully recover from it sooner without rehashing it to tear any progress apart. "I'll have it written within the hour. Thanks, for helping earlier," he tagged on. His boss's presence had been a great support.

"Anytime. I just hope the kid doesn't keep bringing trouble like this down on himself," Hughes answered.

Paling, Peter's reaction prompted Hughes to question him. His response was rather short, "It's the third time he died and was revived."

Frowning, it wasn't a good answer. "Let me know if there is anything else we should be on the lookout for. It sounds like Bryce is just as much of a magnet for trouble as his character." Hughes left the conversation so Peter didn't need to answer. He could tell his agent still needed to face what had happened and delaying it wasn't going to do any good.

"Will do," Peter was rather short as he left the office. Returning to his own space, he powered up the computer and settled into his task. It wasn't going to be pleasant, but it needed to be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading and reviewing/commenting, leaving kudos, choosing to favorite, and following :D


	36. Friendly Case Work

*******

During the dark depths of the night, a figure in a doctor's uniform slipped up to the guards. They followed their verification procedure but didn't stop him from entering the room.

Checking over the charts and giving the patient a good look over, he seemed to be as satisfied as he could be under the circumstances.

Pausing to have a brief one-sided conversation, he addressed the patient. "I told you to be careful, but then I suppose you couldn't have expected a second squad to assault you. There is also this rumor I hear about you being a spook. As much as I'm nervous to have admitted one of your kind into my inner domain, I'm also glad it turned out to be you." Wiping his glasses, the short man paused before finishing his visit. "Elizabeth and I had a lengthy chat this afternoon, so I know what has been going on. When you wake up… I'm sure you can confirm several conspiracies for me."

Slipping out of the room, he headed down the hall only to pause when the curly-haired guard addressed him. 'Have a good night Mozzie. He will be glad to know you're sticking around for him." Not admitting to his identity, as it would blow his cover, Mozzie ignored the remark and kept on walking. Bryce he was choosing to accept, but these agent friends of his wouldn't be so easy.

*******

Walking into the office the next morning after a night of research and restless sleep, Peter was glad to see how busy it already was. It seemed like everyone had come in extra early in an effort to solve the cases as quickly as possible.

Since evidence had come in the previous afternoon, Peter had worked hard to distribute the information and make progress on his own evidence. The team had been just as diligent, sorting and working through the remainder of the day before taking briefcases home for the evening.

In an effort to get him out of the office, Jones and Diana had teamed up to persuade him to visit Bryce at the hospital with them before going home for the night. Having agreed, Peter accompanied the agents on their visit while checking in on their friend for himself.

Diana had forgiven him for not contacting her through the chaos, but she wasn't going so easy on Bryce.

Having placed her fingers on his arm, she proceeded to live up to her take-charge reputation. "I hear you have been fooling us from the beginning, Bryce. Now, we both know what I threatened you if you ever tried to pull one over on me, but I think I can forgive you this once. However, it is going to cost you. When you are better, I want a sparring match so I can kick your butt for all of the stuff you have put us through, and you are going to answer some questions for me. Now, I know you need some sleep to rest off all of the attacks, and that you may want to take some extra time to spite us for how we have been treating you lately, but you had better not take too long because the office is too quiet and depressing without you." Although she didn't outright apologize, the light threats and banter suited their typical conversation more.

Jones had followed her in his own fashion. "Now I know why you allowed us to come up with our own assumptions and wouldn't correct us with what was really going on." Standing rigidly, Jones held his ground militarily, despite how bad he felt. "Although you aren't FBI, the team has learned to generally accept you, recent circumstances excepting, and we would like to repair some of our mistreatment you have endured. From what I'm gathering, you are a good agent and have served your country well. It's an honor to have worked with you, and I hope you will be willing to come back if you can. In the meanwhile, take it easy soldier and get back on your feet." He had kind of apologized for himself but had also generally included the rest of the team.

Standing to attention, he saluted Bryce as a mark of honor. It wasn't to protocol and Bryce had never been in the military, but it was his way of showing how he felt.

After they had gone, Peter had pressed Bryce's fingers in his hand in an attempt to make his friend aware of his presence. "We got the evidence in the office this afternoon. Now, most of the team has taken files home to try and figure out what you were actually doing over the last few months. Everyone is determined to get the cases solved, and we are all sorry we didn't believe you when you said you were innocent."

Then he lifted his hand to run it through Bryce's hair again. The motion was something his parents had always done with him when he didn't feel good and Elizabeth had picked up the habit as well, so he thought it might comfort Bryce too. "Goodnight, Bryce," then with one last squeeze of the hand, he left to find Elizabeth.

Looking up from his reverie, Peter noticed Jones and Diana knocking on his office door.

"Hey boss, how is Bryce?" Jones led as he entered first.

"The same, there is still no known reason why he is in a coma and many of his stats have remained just as low." His early morning visit hadn't proved as reassuring as he would have liked.

"What about Mozzie? How is he handling the situation, does the other team know about him?" Diana was concerned about the quirky little man and how he would react to the reveal.

Smirking slightly, Peter was glad he good news to deliver on that front. "Chuck said Mozzie made one of his off-hour visits. Apparently, he is going to stick around for Bryce and hopes he will be willing to confirm a few conspiracy theories for him now that he knows about his connections. However, he doesn't seem to be so accepting of Chuck and Sarah at this point."

Relaxing, Diana was relieved to hear that the odd little fellow wasn't going to abandon his friend just because he wasn't the man he pretended to be. Although the decision would have been understandable in a way if he had, it wouldn't have felt right considering the history between the two men.

Finishing their brief conversation, the two agents left Peter to get started on his work for the day. They all needed to prepare for the morning briefing so there was plenty to do.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Peter focused on arranging everything he had to share. Sleep had eluded him much of the night, or he had been tormented by nightmares, so he had made it through a decent number of files since leaving the office the night before.

*******

June was taking her turn to visit Bryce for the day. Taking the seat next to her young friend's hospital bed, she couldn't believe she hadn't seen him since that night her family turned him out and hadn't had a real conversation with him in months. Ashamed, she was desperate to begin righting the wrong.

Trembling as she reached out to touch his hand, she couldn't help but briefly remember when her Byron had been so weak and dying, but then she turned her thoughts to the man before her. He wasn't old and sick, but rather young and injured, so there were differences in the situations.

She didn't have much to say, so she got straight to the point. "I'm sorry, Bryce. Although I wish I could say I hadn't known better, I felt bad the whole time I lectured you and especially when I evicted you from the loft." Pulling out her tissues, she had been prepared for the tears, but she wasn't ready to let them reign. First, she had to finish saying her apology. "When I learned you were suspected of stealing that treasure, I was disappointed and couldn't help comparing you with Ford. You should have learned the lesson from him about 'last scores,' and I didn't want to see you waste your life chasing rainbows in search of pots of gold when you already had so much at your fingertips. Then with the vase… it was either you, my trusted friend or someone else I had trusted into my home, there was no winning solution." Squeezing his hand, she wanted to have that physical connect reinforced along with her words as she finished. "When you wake up, the loft and wardrobe will be waiting for you, and I hope you will forgive me enough to come back."

Crying quietly, she spent the rest of her time trying to release her emotions in the privacy of his room.

*******

As the other agents started moving up for the meeting, Peter collected his things, locked his computer, and moved to the conference room. There he dropped his things in a stack, left to retrieve a cup of coffee, and returned to get settled into his space.

The room wasn't filled with the usual chatter, but rather a tired excitement. They had made good progress in their work and were waiting until Hughes was ready to start the meeting.

When it was time, Hughes entered the room and took his seat at the head of the table. "Okay, everybody. We have three cases pertaining to the charges against Bryce. The agents who were running the operation have already submitted the paperwork to close the theory of impersonation, so that leaves us with the treasure and June's cases. What have we got?" He first directed it to Peter.

"Actually, we also have the original James Bonds case that had to be reopened too." Peter reminded Hughes. "Since the real Neal Caffrey actually committed the crime, I have been asked to clear Bryce's name and close the case so he can be released from his anklet. In order to do so, I went back through the evidence in comparison with his boss's records. We have managed to put together proof that the bonds were originally found in the procession of the real Neal Caffrey, and that Bryce's fingerprints were added as an additional link to cement his position in the role. However, what was surprising was that I discovered why these particular bonds were allowed. Apparently, the owner behind them has personal reasons for wishing to keep witnesses safe once they have entered Wit-sec, so he agreed to allow for his bonds to be used in the operation to catch the killers. Once I called him this morning to say the case was being wrapped up, he dropped all charges as had originally been intended. When Bryce wakes up, there won't be an anklet waiting for him… which also means our deal with him as our consultant is also over." He was glad to announce the happy conclusion to Bryce's jail sentence, but he wasn't thrilled to lose his partner.

There were mixed emotions through the team, but it wasn't entirely a surprise since they knew he had been undercover the entire time.

Moving on to the next case, Jones took the lead. "I have been working to resolve June's theft. Most of Bryce's defense is based on the additional security he installed in her house… something she apparently didn't know about until this morning. Anyway, the security has cameras covering all of the main entrances into the mansion as well as a general view of the public areas and loft. The recordings have literally everything that has gone on since he installed them, which includes when the vase was switched out." He used the control to put the video clip up on the screen. "There is no way to count how many times the maid moved the vase to clean it, or how many times she took it to replace the flowers, but Bryce pinpointed the trip when she took an unusual amount of time to replace the flowers, and she went by an odd route that took her past a side doorway. Switching to the camera view of the door, it shows her exchanging the real vase for the fake with a man who was waiting outside." Shrugging, that was all that he had, but it was a lot more than they had previously collected. "I have warrants for a few security cameras that might have gotten more footage, and another for the maid to bring her in this afternoon. Hopefully, this case will be closed in forty-eight hours or so."

"What about the evidence found amongst his supplies?" Peter asked. He wanted to clear up as much as possible.

"Oh, another camera caught the maid on that one too. She met a man at the door, likely the same one, and he gave her the paint that she planted in Bryce's supplies before he packed up to move to the hotel. He probably didn't check each paint tube to see if there was any that wasn't his, so it was missed until agent Smith carried out the warrant."

Slightly irritated, Peter wished he had caught that when he checked through Bryce's things. However, on second thought, he probably wouldn't have looked at in the same light and might have arrested him on the spot.

Taking her turn to lead, Diana shared what progress she had made on the treasure case. "There are several parts to consider, with the first part being to clear Bryce's name. Now we all know we were investigating him for the crime, but what we didn't know, is that he considered us as suspects too." She smirked lightly at the expressions around the table showing their reactions to seeing his list. Peter's was probably the most amusing because he and Elizabeth had both made it, but were rejected as serious suspects.

"I don't know if I should be amused that he rejected me, or annoyed that he even considered me in the first place. Perhaps it was only fair because we were being so judgmental towards him." Peter wasn't sure what to think about seeing his name on the list. It hurt to think Bryce would even consider him for such a betrayal, but then he had spent the previous months accusing Bryce of the same action. Adding to his list of things on his mind, he chose to let it slide until he could talk about it with Bryce.

As several other team members were conversing about the list, Hughes had to step in for a moment to regain order. "Quiet everyone. What else do you have Berrigan?"

Focusing on one name from the list, she continued to share her information. "He also placed himself on the suspect list, so he probably included our names to be thorough, and went through other people who knew about the treasure being out there and stolen. The amusing part is that he went so far as to question whether or not he could have stolen the treasure in his sleep, because he was certain he hadn't done it while he was awake. Combining Peter's, Elizabeth's, and Sara's testimony with the anklet monitoring and the video recording of Bryce sleeping, it wasn't hard to prove he hadn't physically stolen the treasure. As for his alleged accomplice, Bryce has satellite information showing Mozzie at one of his safe houses on the night of the theft. Both of them are clear, which means we were really looking in the wrong direction before." She felt as ashamed as everyone else did. They had ostracized and distrusted Bryce for nothing.

Clearing his throat, Hughes had to mentally admit he had suspected Bryce just as much as everyone else had. There wasn't a person on the team who wasn't guilty of misjudging him. "Did you find any likely leads to follow?"

Returning to Bryce's evidence, Diana pointed out his primary suspect list. "Either Alex Hunter or an unknown person." Relieved that Bryce had done such a good job of installing secret surveillance, she knew it wasn't going to be as hard to solve the case. "It is fortunate Bryce is more paranoid than we thought because he also placed full surveillance on his storage unit. And although she kept her face hidden, I'm certain it was Alex Hunter who cleared out his paintings and supplies. Her theft of all of his canvases also explains how a modern painting with his signature ended up at the crime scene."

"Can you get any evidence to prove it?" Peter wasn't sure what Bryce would think about his criminal friend using him, but he was rather relieved it wasn't Bryce or Mozzie who were guilty.

"I already checked the surveillance cameras before, but I'm hoping his friends from the other agency might be able to help me find something. In the meanwhile, I have my computer scanning the borders for any means she might have tried to escape the country by, and I have asked Mozzie how he thinks the treasure might have been transported to narrow down my search." It wasn't as easy as it could be, but Bryce had prevented a great deal of footwork for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, choosing to favorite, following, and reviewing :D


	37. Lunch Break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, following, and leaving kudos :D

*******

Taking her turn next to Bryce's bed, Sara sat and studied him. Deciding to talk through some of her confusion, she figured he might as well be her sounding board, despite the unlikely chance he would answer her.

"I still love you, you know? But it isn't the same." Mentally tracing the contours of his face, she tried to figure out what had changed.

"You aren't the character I fell in love with, but you are the person I knew. The excitement of a con artist drew me, but the criminal ultimately repelled me." Running her thumb over his knuckles, she realized her confusion was caused by the differences between himself and his character.

Deciding to focus more on what she learned about the real him, she thought it might help her to get her emotions straightened out.

"Now that I have learned more about the real you, there are some definite changes. For one, you have the criminal skills and aren't above using them, but you tend to keep within the legal boundaries while retaining cover. You have always had hidden talents, but a nerdy computer engineer and accountant weren't any I expected… neither was espionage or combat for that matter. But really, those aren't such big changes that I can't see you in them, and there are similarities to be considered as well. Like you genuinely wish to help people, and are willing to give your life in the process." She tried to sort his character and real person into two separate people and compared them.

Then she burst into tears as she realized what had changed, "I love you more."

Her self preservation no longer had anything to fight. She had built up walls to protect herself from the charming con man, but they came crashing down before the heroic agent. Holding his hand in hers, she leaned over onto the bed and cried against his side. It was the closest she could get to hugging him around the machines, and she needed the comfort of that proximity to deal with her newly discovered feelings.

*******

Taking a break for lunch, Peter was accompanied by Jones and Diana as they grabbed some food and went to the hospital for a brief visit. Settling into the waiting room with Elizabeth and June, the group shared their food and updated them on what had been going on in the office.

"So Bryce isn't going to be your consultant anymore?" June questioned. She wondered what was going to become of the young man once he woke up.

Peter answered, "I don't know what is going to happen when he wakes up. He won't be our consultant working off his sentence, there won't be an anklet or radius, and nothing requiring him to remain in the city. Chuck doesn't know what is going to happen with Bryce's assignments either, but he does assure me that Bryce will try to visit us when he can." The promise of visits was good but not as good as a daily working partnership. Bryce would be missed when he left.

"Sarah and I were talking about their lives back home. She was cautious not to say too much, but she did tell me several basics. Apparently, their team works regular jobs like the retail and food industries in between missions to keep their schedules more flexible, but also to provide a cover story for their income that doesn't reveal their secrets." Since no one seemed to be grasping exactly what she was aiming at, Elizabeth continued. "What if Bryce worked as your consultant? He could use the cover story of some case with the FBI for his first death, transferring offices would give him a reason for resurfacing in New York, and it would give him a public job in between missions that he could flex around his other work because you know about it."

Loving the idea, Peter hoped it would be possible. "It would depend on if the agencies could come to an agreement. He would be a black ops agent consulting for White Collar and not allowed to be active on American soil, but as a consultant maybe it could work…" There were several potential complications that could defeat the idea altogether, but it was something to hope for. "Bryce would also have his say in the matter too, and he has never been fond of the mortgage fraud side of our work." The thought crossed his mind that Bryce might not want to work with him in comparison to the exciting world of black ops.

"Bryce would work with you in a heartbeat," Sarah said. She had been passing by with food for her and Chuck, so she overheard their conversation. "After Chuck and I came here, I made sure to read through the case files and field reports. I have never heard of Bryce valuing anyone else as highly as he does you and Chuck."

"And that goes for me too," Jonathon said as he peaked into the food bags to see what was in them. The smell of food was making his stomach rumble.

"Do you want anything?" Elizabeth offered.

"No, I'll get my own lunch shortly, but I was trying to figure out what smelled so good," Jonathon explained.

After sharing what they had ordered, Elizabeth asked what Jonathon had meant. "I thought you were one of his closest friends too?"

"I am, but there is something different about fellow agents that a lawyer can't compete with. You are his brother's in arms, while I'm more like a half brother. We have a lot in common and an extensive history, but there is something missing that keeps us from being as close as he is to you two." He tried to explain why he didn't have the same kind of friendship as they did. "On the flip side, that bit of distance has prevented me from having to deal with some of the things you have gone through with him. For instance, I always knew who he was, and since I have been his lawyer, he gives me forewarnings on some of his missions so I can manage his private life around them."

Reassured on the friendship front, Peter still wondered if it would even matter. Looking at Sarah, he asked if she thought it would be possible. Although she didn't have a certain answer, she gave enough reason for him to hope. Understanding her point, Peter knew government work was never as simple and direct as pairing two friends to work together.

"If it helps, Chuck will advocate for him to be assigned here with you in between missions, and to be teamed up with us for missions as much as possible. That way he gets to work with his friends, and we can all keep an eye on him," Sarah added. It wasn't something she and Chuck had shared too widely, but it had been a part of their discussions while on guard duty.

"Don't forget, he does also have a company to run in DC, so there are times he has to make meetings or take trips down to the city. Since he has neglected much of that over the last several years, there is a backlog of things for him to catch up, so he will be busy for a while. Although I can run a great deal of his life, I'm not him to be able to run all of it," Jonathon added in.

Between the friends, they were working to figure out how to help Bryce and looking out for his best interests. Meanwhile, he slept on down the hall.

*******

After finishing his food, Peter walked back with Sarah while the others talked behind them. She was rejoining Chuck, and he was going to see Bryce.

"How is he?" Peter asked.

"Slightly better, the doctor said his stats were up a little and his overall condition seems to be improving. Although she was cautious, she was beginning to think there might be the hope of him waking up." Sarah was happy to share. It was good news for all of them.

Feeling better, Peter couldn't help but stand a little straighter and more relaxed as he smiled slightly. "That's the first good news I've heard about him since we brought him back to life."

She also seemed to be a bit more relieved. "I think things are finally going to work for him when he wakes up. Although his family doesn't appear to have changed any, his friends all know the truth and will be here waiting for him."

"We will be," Peter agreed as they reached the door to Bryce's room. Greeting Chuck briefly, it wasn't long before he left the man to his meal and went in to see his friend.

"Hey Bryce, we have your name cleared on two of the cases and the team is working to clear your name of the other two. Neal Caffrey is officially closed, so there isn't an anklet or a two-mile radius waiting for you when you wake up, but hopefully, if you want it, a consulting position will be. We have talked about the possibility and the teams will present it to each of our bosses to see if it will even be an option. If you can hear me, please at least consider it." He gently ruffled Bryce's hair in the hopes that the touch would reinforce his hope to continue working with his friend.

*******

It was a long day, but rather productive.

Jones' efforts to scour June's neighborhood paid off and he managed to find several images of the man who had provided the forged vase. Combining the images, he was able to get enough to run him through facial recognition.

Getting the results back, Jones was pleased to have discovered their culprit. "I got him, Peter," he slapped the file down on his boss's desk.

Picking it up, Peter flipped through the file. "He is a known criminal with a record as a forger. Combine that with the video of him handing the vase over and we have enough to arrest him. Do you still have your warrant for the maid going through? Maybe she can verify how many items have been switched out and explain what is going on here. That might give us more of the story while we wait for your warrant on him to go through."

"Yes, and I'm supposed to be leaving to execute the warrant in a few minutes, but I thought I would share this with you first," Jones explained.

"Have you found anything suspicious in the maid's background?" Peter wondered. How had they missed so much about her?

"No, she still has a spotless background. Either this is her first time aiding in a crime, or she has never been caught before." Jones knew Peter would be relieved to know there had been nothing to find.

Leaving to bring the maid in, it didn't take long before Jones returned with her.

Setting her up in the interrogation room, Jones started to ask her questions. "How do you know this man?" He laid the picture out in front of her.

"I have never seen him before…" He laid the pictures of her with him out on the table. Her story was blown before she could even form it. "Okay," she gave up trying to hide the truth. Hanging her head, she agreed to talk. They knew most of it anyway.

Repeating his question, Jones started again.

"He is my boyfriend. We met at a dance several months ago…" she continued to generalize their courtship. His art skills had impressed her and she wanted to help him become a real artist. In an effort to help him afford the supplies, she agreed to switch random pieces of her boss's art for his fakes. June wouldn't miss what she appeared to have, and he would be able to sell the originals for profit. Once he had enough money to support them, they were going to get married.

With a full confession, Jones slapped the cuffs on her and led her out for another teammate to transport to jail while he went to get her accomplice. Stopping by Peter's office on his way again, he shared the good news. "There is still some work to do, but that is another case closed. That only leaves the treasure case to be finished."

Smiling, Peter was proud, "Good work, Clinton."

While Jones went to make his second arrest for the day, Peter and the rest of the team continued to work on the Larkin or the treasure cases.

When the time came for them to go home for the evening, they had the worst of the case concerning June closed and were ready to make good progress on their other cases.


	38. Wrapping Up

***********

Arriving at the bureau, Peter was relieved to find Diana waiting for him. Meeting her on the way to his office, she walked along with him and filled him in as they went.

"We found proof! Mozzie directed me to look at a camera a little further from the storage unit, and we found a clear image of Alex Hunter driving a box truck towards the building. Then using a side reflection from a camera closer to the storage unit we got a backward image of the same truck parked by the storage unit. Combine that with the female image inside of the unit and we have enough evidence to prove it was actually her who cleared out his warehouse," she bounced in excited determination.

"That sounds like a great start, but it doesn't prove she stole the treasure." Peter hated to burst her bubble, but it was necessary to get the case progressed enough for a good close. They had made enough mistakes on it already.

"I'm not finished," she redirected his attention from starting up his computer by slapping down a picture. "This shows her leaving the country via a private plane. Then following Mozzie's directions, I was able to track her through a random route to Europe where she is holed up. Although she has herself hidden behind a wall of protection, we should be able to catch her eventually." Holding up her hand and shifting her folders, she kept Peter from interrupting her happy reveal of information. "Following another route to the same destination, we found a large container that shipped via freighter. Mozzie asked around and was able to confirm that it was filled up with valuables, but wasn't able to confirm what exactly via the transport community. Most are paid to move the merchandise, but they don't want to know what it contains as plausible deniability. Still, he hopes he might be able to trace who her hired help was through the criminal community."

Nodding along, but with an expression that was eager for her to get to the point, Peter waited for the really good news that they could solve the case. Even if Hunter was using some front or had paid for political strings to hide behind, they would get her eventually.

Smiling wolfishly, Diana was thrilled to have the key information. It had taken her a lot of work and several meetings with the little conspiracy theorist, but a good closure to resolve this case was totally worth it all. "We traced the container backward! Following it through the transfer process from the docks, through a handoff, and all the way back to a warehouse conveniently located across the alley to where Adler was keeping his sub."

"So we have it traced to the treasure location, but can we connect it to Hunter?" Peter was struggling to be patient with this one.

Allowing for the circumstances, Diana wasn't too upset by the interruption. "A street camera caught her truck pulling into the warehouse and then later pulling out a few minutes before someone else left transferring the container. Combined, the evidence gives us proof she robbed the storage unit, took the supplies to the warehouse next to the treasure, we found a scrap of a painting in the debris, she then left while someone was hired to transport the container, and it ended up in the same location she did. She has the motive of family history, a record of means, and the evidence to tie her to the crime including pictures placing her in key locations."

"Do we have something to prove she was still in the truck when it entered the warehouse, or anything to tie her to the sub?" Peter asked as he really wanted to have a leak-proof case after their previous blunder in accusing Caffrey.

"We're working on cleaning up a few images that could prove her in the truck when it entered the warehouse, and the team is looking for anything to tie her to the sub beyond the known abduction." She hoped for results within a few hours, but until then, it was more than enough to take the primary focus off of Bryce.

Talking through a few more official details to the case, Peter didn't take long to send her on her way. He was proud of her work and glad they were finally on the right track. Hopefully, it wouldn't be much longer before the case could be closed, or at least set aside until they could apprehend Hunter. She was a tricky one so that resolution would be a challenge.

Pulling out his phone, Peter was happy to reveal that Bryce was officially not a primary suspect and was as good as cleared of the treasure case. The case itself wasn't quite complete, but at least they had a growing pile of evidence against the right suspect.

Changing his focus, Peter had his own work to get too.

***********

Having cleared Bryce's name of the crimes he had been accused of, and with Diana working to resolve the last of the treasure case, the team moved on to the Larkin case.

Blake had been working on the curator, so he updated them on his progress. "My research concurred with what you had found before, that she appears to be squeaky clean. However, in repeated interviews with her, I did finally manage to find her fear, someone is threatening her. Whoever is behind it, they have been leaving messages through varied methods threatening her husband and children if she doesn't comply with their demands. Each time a message is left, she finds a series of instructions soon after and complies out of fear in an effort to protect her family. She doesn't know who is behind it, and she has tried to write down as many of the instructions as she can remember. The instructions usually ended in an order to destroy them, but she still has her latest list for evidence. We are planning for her to follow through with the instructions and destroy a fake copy so we can try to catch the person behind them." He projected the list of demands, "As you can see, they have several random orders to obscure the intent, but it's obvious they intend to do another forgery."

That cleared up the mystery of why the woman seemed to be wrapped up in the crime, but it also meant she was going to be scared until they figured out who was tormenting her and stopped them.

"Have you sent the list in to be studied?" Hughes questioned.

"Yes, sir, there is a line up at the lab, but they will get it back to us as soon as they can," Blake confirmed.

Moving on to the next one, Hughes directed for Franklin to fill them in on what he had found investigating Kendrick's information.

"Peter is right to say his finances look funny, but they are such a tangled mess I'm still unwinding them. If he wouldn't mind, I could use his accounting skills to help sort it all." Franklin requested assistance; he knew Peter was the best one for it too.

Agreeing to help, Peter asked if he had managed to work anything out through his research.

"Mostly, the information just keeps pointing to Kendrick having a secret source of income that he shouldn't have. It's suspicious enough to keep him ranking as the prime suspect." There wasn't much to share on the financial front for income, but he could discern the man's spending habits easier. "I did discover that he has a romance going on. Over the last few years, where we believe the forging started, he has been buying things like expensive necklaces and fancy dresses. He isn't married or advertising a girlfriend, but there is definitely someone special in his life that he is lavishing his ill-gotten gains on."

"Is that his motive, to afford to keep the attention of a woman with expensive tastes?" The question was asked to get a better sense of their suspect.

"It seems to be the case for the forgeries. His purchases for her showed up about the same time the forgeries were dated back too. However, the embezzling started years before there were any signs of her, so there was a different motive there. My theory is that he chose to embezzle because the Larkin family didn't pay as much attention to how their money came in as to how it was spent. The extra finances slowly gave him the means to enjoy his preference for finer foods and afforded him a nicer home bit by bit. Then when she came into the picture, he felt he needed more money to afford her, so he got into the forgeries. Maybe she even encouraged or helped him in the crimes."

Suddenly getting a gut feeling, Peter followed his intuition. "Did Kendrick ask around, or talk to anyone when he was here?"

One of the younger probies seemed reluctant to admit it, but he confessed to having talked to Kendrick about 'Neal' and several of the theories that had been going around about him. "He just seemed to be worried about what kind of influence Neal would have on the Larkins. I didn't imagine Neal would actually be Bryce, or that Kendrick might be looking for something more than the obvious."

"No one saw Bryce coming, and he even gave me clues. As for Kendrick, you always have to be careful, because you never know who is guilty until all of the evidence is in." Peter soothed the flustered young agent. Then in response to Hughes' prompting, he shared where he was going with his questions. "I think I know the identity of the lady fair Kendrick has been buying things for." If he was right, he might find the man's accomplice as well as answer some questions that had been hovering in the background for a while.

***********

Closing down his desk for the day, Peter had one final meeting with Diana as she brought up the final pictures.

"We were able to clean up the images and they clearly show Hunter entering the warehouse next door. We are only missing proof that she was actually in the warehouse to steal the treasure, but the team is still going back through evidence from the explosion. Although there might be something in there, it would have to be in a suitable condition to be applicable in court." To finish up, she gave him notice that Mozzie was going to contact her if he managed to find any confirmation on the street. If he could find the driver of the second truck, they could get a witness statement to strengthen their case.

"How is Mozzie handling this? He is actually a criminal, but Alex has been a friend of theirs for years," Peter wondered. Mozzie and he hadn't crossed paths recently, so he hadn't been able to talk with the little man himself.

"I think he is disappointed on one side, but understanding on the other. Something about a conman taking their loot where they can? It's hard to follow some of his convoluted reasoning, but the gist seems to be that he understands why she would steal the treasure, even if he isn't certain why she would frame them." She didn't understand the conman's world or their codes, but she had learned that they generally looked out for number one, even if they might take their friends into consideration during some circumstances.

Understanding, Peter had gotten a lot closer to their friends and crossed paths with Hunter more than Diana had. "Alex would do nearly anything to get a hold of the treasure, and Bryce just happened to have the perfect distraction for her to get away with it. I guess she figured he would be suspected, but that the evidence would burn, which would only damage his reputation with us. That might have been a double motive actually. You see, if he wasn't working with us, then he would presumably be back in the crime community. They could work together, and she might even be willing to give him something of a share for his trouble if he were to track her down. We all know Neal would have discovered his empty storage unit and narrowed it down to her being his likely suspect. Then there is their romantic and working history to bond them, even though I think she would be looking more professionally than personally." Shrugging, Peter couldn't prove his theory until they managed to catch the elusive thief.

Amused, Diana laughed lightly, "I wonder what she would think if she ever discovered he is actually an agent undercover. Would she be so willing to take advantage of him then?"

Seeing her point, Peter could only speculate. "Maybe, but she would take much greater care if she tried. Otherwise, the risk of being caught would be more than if he was just a consultant."

Turning back to the more serious matter, Diana and he had a brief conversation towards concluding the evidence that had been collected. Although Diana was going to wait and see if any further evidence came in, she had accumulated enough information to prove, beyond coincidentally, that Hunter had in fact been the primary suspect behind the theft of the treasure. If more evidence came in she would have a stronger case, but if not, she had enough to make a good case anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing, and leaving kudos :D


	39. Good News

*******

Waking up in the morning, Peter saw his phone light up with an alert. Stretching to reach it, he rubbed his eyes to help him wake up enough to read the words against the bright lights. Once he had woke up a little bit, he noticed it was a text message and a missed call with a corresponding voicemail. Reading the text message first, he laid back as he smiled. Listening to the voicemail was a repeat of the text message mixed in with excited babble.

As Elizabeth woke up beside him, Peter waited a few moments for her to get more alert, "Hon?"

"What was that about?" She asked sleepily.

"Bryce," Peter smiled happily. "He's close to waking up, might do so by the end of the day if we're lucky."

Sitting up as well, Elizabeth became more alert. "Chuck called?" She knew who would be alerting everyone to the happy news.

"Called, left a voicemail, and texted…" Peter continued to smile as he relished the moment. Then he threw back the blankets and started his routine for getting dressed.

Stretching herself, Elizabeth crawled out within a few moments as well. "You start the coffee and I'll make breakfast? It's a little early for the hospital's visiting hours, but we can meet the others in the waiting room once we're ready."

"Deal," Peter grinned.

*******

As Bryce had been improving, so had everyone's moods, and considering the prospect that he might wake up soon, they were positively glowing.

Following their usual routine, they were happy to learn that Bryce had been moved out of the ICU and was being settled on another floor. Holding hands happily as they walked through the halls, Peter and Elizabeth found the rest of their group in the new waiting room.

Catching up with the others and making plans, they learned that June was planning to sit with Bryce and read all day, Chuck and Sarah were still performing as guards, Peter was working cases, and Elizabeth had a large event to plan.

When they realized no one had heard from Sara, Elizabeth texted their friend to see where she was. After a few moments, she got a call.

"I'm sorry I won't be able to make it there, I'm about to get on a plane." Sara continued to explain that she had been assigned to a high priority case and was going to be out of the country for the foreseeable future. "It figures, he is finally going to wake up and I won't even be in the country," she sighed.

Understanding some of her situation, Elizabeth promised they would take turns keeping her up to date.

Sounding a bit teary-eyed, Sara thanked her.

"Do you have anything you want us to tell him for you?" Elizabeth offered. She had noticed that Sara seemed to be affected by Bryce's hospital stay. Although their relationship was going to need some repairs, she could tell that Sara still had feelings for the man.

Torn between asking for their help, and being embarrassed, Sara chose not to have the message relayed for her. "It's personal, so it should be delivered personally."

"Okay, let us know if you change your mind," Elizabeth finished the conversation with her by finalizing contact information and means.

Turning to the others, she filled them in on what was going on with Sara. "Sterling and Bosch has a high profile case and she has been sent out of the country. She doesn't know how long she'll be."

"She doesn't want us to tell him anything for her?" June asked.

Smiling slightly, Elizabeth hoped that maybe their relationship could be repaired. "It's personal, so she wants to deliver it in person."

Liking the news, Peter smiled as well, "Maybe their relationship stands a chance after all."

"Relationships don't last well in our field, but Bryce's feelings were real based on the reports," Sarah added her input. "It mostly depends on what the bosses decide to do with Bryce, and if Sara is willing to be involved with a spy… who is really a government-sanctioned con artist."

"Does it bother you to talk about your ex with another girl, especially another Sara?" June wondered. Since the other Sara and Chuck weren't around, it was a good time to satisfy her curiosity.

"No, I'm happy he has found someone. Bryce has spent a lot of time focusing on getting his work done, and, as Chuck has for me, she makes him think of life outside of the job." Sarah wasn't upset to discuss the topic amongst friends, especially since she had Chuck in her own life.

*******

Eventually, the nurse walked up to them and told them they could see Bryce, "Visiting hours are open, you can see your friend now."

Thanking her, the entire group moved as one. It was the first time they could see him at the same time.

Reaching his door, the group met Chuck.

"He's resting peacefully, but the doctors hope he'll wake up sometime today." He had some basic medical updates for them before he took his seat outside.

Sarah joined him as she could visit him later, and June chose to let the Burkes have a few moments alone before they had to go to work for the day.

Running his hand through Bryce's hair while Elizabeth held his hand, Peter told Bryce he was looking forward to seeing him awake again. It had been a long time since they had enjoyed their banter.

"We miss those blue eyes of yours," Elizabeth agreed as she rubbed her fingers over his hand.

With a general parting, they left their requests for updates with the others and headed off to work. It was going to be a long day, but hopefully, a lot of good things would come out of it.

*******

Digging in, Peter started the process of following the money. It was a very good way to solve the case, but sometimes a challenging one as the financial world could dissolve into ones and zeroes. Persevering, it took him several hours of work, but he managed to make headway into untangling the mess. Collecting his data, he knocked on Hughes' office for some advice. The veteran was an old hand at untangling challenging cases, so his input could be invaluable.

"Hey, Reese, do you have a few minutes? I think I have this financial mess untangled, but I could use a second pair of eyes to help me verify that I'm not missing anything," Peter introduced his intent.

"Have a seat," Hughes directed him. He had faith in his lead agent's abilities, but he was also willing to support his findings when he wanted verification. Considering how badly the cases had gone against Caffrey, he understood the extra caution. That was a series of events that damaged their position in the government as well as their personal trust in their abilities. The team had taken a hit, and it would take them some time to recover from it.

Laying the basics out in the space Hughes had cleared, Peter started running through what he had tracked down. "Do you see the same thing I'm seeing?" he asked when he had finished.

Impressed, Hughes could see why Peter wanted the double-check. "Kendrick did a very good job of covering his tracks, but the money still managed to leave a trail," he fully backed Peter's findings. "It doesn't matter how well it is hidden, ultimately, the truth will out."

Settling back into his chair, Peter tried to get himself to relax a little bit. He had spent hours leaning over financial records in total absorption and his back was beginning to feel it. "That gives us the motive of his home and the mystery girlfriend, the financial trail to connect him to the crimes, and the means through his position as the overseer of both the Larkin family business and estate. The man literally has his hands into everything and apparently fell into temptation."

"It seems to get these people every time. They watch as other people live lavishly while not paying enough attention to what is going on around them, so eventually, they decide to take their part in the fun. But be careful, he is a smart one to have gotten away with it for this long," Hughes warned.

Thanking his boss for the support, Peter stretched to relieve his aching muscles before taking the files down to his team. It was time to put in for an arrest warrant.

*******

Before he started the paperwork for the judge, Peter checked to see if anyone else had anything to add to their case. The more evidence they had against the lawyer, the easier it would be to beat him in court.

As convenience sometimes goes, Blake happened to walk into the office with the results from the lab. He had the information for the paper that had been used in the threats, so they just needed something to compare it too.

Getting his own grin, Peter was pleased to have a front reason for searching Kendrick's properties. He was going to get the warrant for his papers. It would seem inconspicuous to keep his guard down but would be the final nail in his coffin of guilt.

Arranging for the warrant to be executed, Peter accompanied the team through Kendrick's office. He hoped the man would have used something from his workplace as it was higher trafficked. If he wanted to pretend someone else had framed him, Kendrick would have had better luck using his office.

Jones was sent to lead the team through his home. If he had hoped to keep his activity secret, Kendrick would have used the privacy of his residence. However, if he was caught, it would prove more difficult to claim innocence in that scenario.

By covering both bases, the team was able to find the matching documents in his work storage closet. He had several containers of it and it was accessible to any of the staff. If his financial trail had been sufficiently covered, his ploy might have worked.

Since the man hadn't been seen at either location, Peter and the team took a more active means of pursuing. Something had tipped Kendrick off, so they had lost the element of surprise.

After several hours of fruitless searching through the city, Peter had to admit that Kendrick seemed to have made a run for it. Putting up wanted posters was a part of the next stage, so the team went to work on the familiar routine. It had never worked with Caffrey, but Peter was certain Kendrick would prove to be an easier catch than a trained black-ops agent undercover.

*******

Remaining behind while Peter left for the hospital, Diana was determined to use her remaining window for all the work she could towards closing the case before Bryce woke up. She knew she wouldn't succeed, but she wanted to have as much to show for all of her effort as possible.

Congratulating her on a case well done, Peter left the office rather satisfied. They hadn't apprehended any of their suspects, but they had proven all of them guilty.

Reflecting as he rode the elevator down, Peter was amused to think that even Kendra Peyton had disappeared. They had attempted to contact her in response to the money trail leading to some of her gowns and jewelry, but she hadn't been reached through any means. Agents had been dispatched to her home and typical haunts, only to come back empty-handed.

The running theory was that she had either eloped with her boyfriend, or she was continuing to string him along until the money ran dry. Whichever way it went, Peter suspected she would go down as his accomplice before the case was completely closed.

The cases were all but completed, so they had kept to their goal as good as it was going to get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, reviewing/commenting, choosing to favorite, and following my stories and me :D
> 
> I'm posting a little early today as I have family visiting.


	40. Waking Up

*******

Peter met Elizabeth at the hospital and they grabbed their dinner from the cafeteria. Settling into Bryce's room, they ate while catching up with the others.

"He hasn't woken up yet, but his stats say he could at any time. It's just his choice when he is willing to wake up… and he is rather stubborn for sleeping in when he can." Chuck teased before elaborating on various stories where Bryce had slept as late as possible on the days where he didn't have classes or anything demanding on his schedule. "I guess he considered those days as his chance to recharge before landing back into his busy schedule."

Reaching over as he finished eating, Peter ran his hands through Bryce's hair again. It had become a habit for him to provide the physical comfort for his friend along with the reassurance that he was there for him. "I don't mind him getting some sleep, he has been busy for the last several years, but how much sleep does he need?"

"Apparently I've had enough… either that or you eat too loudly," was softly said, but the entire room heard it.

"Bryce?" Peter questioned. He kept his hand on the kid's head but paused in his motion. The voice had startled him and he wanted to hear him talk again.

"Never heard you call me that before," Bryce's voice was getting stronger, but he was indeed awake.

Smiling happily, Peter enjoyed the teasing banter. "I didn't know it was your name before, although I wondered a few times. Your undercover role is over, and we all know the truth now."

Moving to stand next to Peter, Elizabeth took one of Bryce's hands in hers. "We're so glad to see you awake again. You gave us quite a scare between dying, getting revived, and then dropping into a coma for so long." The tears were welling up in her eyes, even as the smile spread across her face. She was emotional after everything they had gone through.

"Three rounds are enough, Bryce. If you ever die on us again, we will find a way to build you a bulletproof suit and never let you out of it." Chuck promised with a concerned smile. He was a nerdy engineer and he could devote his creative side to trying to invent such a protective device.

"I'm not going to become Iron Man or any other such comic book hero," Bryce answered before breaking into a cough.

Getting him some water, Peter held the straw up for him to drink. Although he was generally hydrated, he still needed to swish a few sips through his mouth before he swallowed them. With his throat feeling better, he was up to a few minutes of conversation.

Interrupting their conversation on designs, Peter figured they could get lost in the discussion at another time. "You can talk comic books and video games later, right now; we only just got the first chance to talk to you since everything happened at the courthouse."

Seeing the shift in everyone's expressions, Bryce knew he had scared them all. "I'm sorry. The teams and I took precautions. Everything from having a sniper in the gallery, to agents all over the premises, to a bulletproof vest, and it wasn't enough was it?" He knew something had gone wrong, but didn't seem to remember it all immediately.

Choked up for words, Peter didn't want to talk about it yet again. The images still haunted his dreams at times and he didn't want to go another round with them if he didn't have to. Hughes had ordered him to seek help, but as it goes with such traumas, it was going to take time before he had overcome the worst of the effects.

June chose it as her chance to enter into the conversation, "It was enough that you came back to us." She reached up to squeeze the hand that Elizabeth was holding. "You didn't stay dead, and you woke up to see us again. We just want you to get better so things can find a new normal."

Realizing that no one had accusing expressions for him, Bryce knew things had changed since he had last been awake. "What all has happened? How long have I been out?" He figured he might as well ask some questions in order to find out what to expect.

Sarah answered. "You have been in a coma for over a week. At the courthouse, you were shot twice in the back and once to the heart, and although the vest took the impact, you still reacted. When you hit the floor, you hit your head which stunned you while you swelled up from the bullets… you suffocated to death in your protective gear." She tried to keep it short and to the point. It had been hard for her to see him dead again, but she had handled it better than Peter who had witnessed it.

Seeing the shudders run through Peter, Bryce knew that he was still affected by the experience. Gently pulling his hand from Elizabeth, he reached out to Peter. "Hey, I didn't stay dead." After Peter took his hand and held it, he turned to see how the others had handled it. Chuck and Sarah seemed to be the next most affected, as they had been witness to him lying on the floor. Extending his other hand out towards them, Bryce was glad when they both grasped it between theirs. "I'm sorry you had to see that again. At least this time you got to know I survived instead of me randomly popping back up later."

"There is that," Sarah said through her tears. "But, don't forget that you still have some explaining to do on the last round. We haven't gotten to talk about that yet."

Looking a little uncomfortable, Bryce knew it wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation. He had hurt them a great deal, and they wanted answers. "As soon as the doctor clears me," the promise might as well be made, as they would guarantee that he gave them answers.

There wasn't time for more conversation before the nurse requested the visitors take a break while Bryce was checked over since he was finally out of the coma.

Using the time, the others contacted whoever was on their list to inform them that Bryce was awake.

Although visiting hours were up by the time the staff was done with Bryce, the doctor gave them a basic update and allowed them a little extra time to say goodnight.

Seeing Bryce looking sleepy, they knew they would have to keep it short and simple so they took brief turns to talk him alone.

*******

Taking her turn while Peter and Elizabeth took a walk through the halls, June wanted to say her goodnight, and then she was heading home. "I'm sorry about everything that happened, Bryce. You were right in assuming my maid was involved, but it was her boyfriend that forged the vase. Although I agreed you could be guilty and hoped you would be innocent, there wasn't a good direction for the case to go, either my friend who had been with me for a short time had betrayed me or the staff that I've had for decades had. It wasn't a good situation, and I allowed myself to suspect you enough to evict you." Patting his hand, she hoped that he would allow her to try to rectify the wrong. "If you still want them, the loft and suits will be waiting for you when you recover."

Understanding her pain, Bryce turned his hand to hold hers. He couldn't get up and give her a hug yet, so holding hands with people would have to do. "I don't blame you, not for any of it. My job was to perform the role and draw out the killers. Really, I was glad when you evicted me because it gave me an excuse to leave the loft and it provided a distance between you and the danger. There isn't anything I wouldn't do to keep you safe."

Crying softly, she moved forward to hug him. "Thank you. You are a good man, Bryce, and a better friend." Having generally made her peace, she told him goodnight and left.

*******

Getting their few moments alone with Bryce, Peter and Elizabeth briefly shared some of what they wanted to say.

"The team has your name cleared of all charges," Peter hung his head as he thought of how badly they had treated Bryce as they accused him of so many crimes that he turned out to be completely innocent of. "Now that you're awake… we have a lot to talk about when we get the chance." There was too much to say in a limited amount of time, so Peter opted to wait until they could wade into it fully. Giving Bryce a look though, he tried to convey how sorry he was. As long as Bryce didn't outright reject him, there was still hope of repairing their friendship.

"I'm sure I have a lot of explaining to do with a lot of people," Bryce sighed. There were the people going through his room, his family would want to know something, Jonathon wasn't present, the team, and so on. The friends were a longer list than they used to be, and they would all have things to talk to him about.

"Not just explaining," Peter tried to show that he didn't just want to have his questions answered, but that he had some things to say too.

Flinching, Bryce understood part of it. "You did promise to let me have it if I pulled any such stunts again, now I'll probably get to find out what that means."

Reaching out to place his hand on Bryce's head as he had been doing through the coma, Peter wanted to be comforting, to remind Bryce that he was his friend too. "Although something of that will come up, don't underestimate when I say that we have a lot to talk through."

Relaxing under the friendly gesture, Bryce calmed down at the sign that their friendship wasn't lost. Peter was also looking to rebuild their foundation before building it back up again. So much of what it had been before had been built off of lies, but now Peter could learn an element of the truth. "That is a lot," he agreed.

Holding his hand, Elizabeth pointed out that Peter wasn't the only one with things to talk about. "I'm sorry to admit that I believed you were guilty too. When everything fell apart, I wasn't a good friend to you either, as I didn't even let you tell your side of the story. Once you get better, I promise to make your favorite dinner, if you'll promise to show up to eat it." She wanted the chance to thoroughly apologize, and some of that would take a while to talk through. Besides, the promise of an entire evening would be a great start towards her and Peter rebuilding their friendships with the young agent.

"Deal," Bryce promised, "and Peter had better not be taking the choice snacks before I get there either," he added in the extra tease.

"Then you had better be on time," Peter returned the favor.

Bidding Bryce good night, they hadn't fully apologized, but they had started and had his promise for future opportunities.

*******

Left to themselves, Chuck and Sarah didn't have a lot to say either, because there was too much to say for the time.

"You really do have a lot of explaining to do. We watched you die and didn't know anything about you again until I was called in here. Then we haven't had the chance to talk because I was playing civilian and you were in prison again. Still, I'm glad to see that you're alive after all," Chuck informed Bryce.

Looking relieved, Bryce was glad to know Chuck wasn't angry with him, he just wanted some answers to resolve what he had seen. "Ask Beckman, she can get you the security feed which will show you," he directed. Maybe they would get the worst of their questions answered through that?

Sarah wasn't having it though. "You aren't getting off of the hook that easily. We might watch the feed, but we are still going to have questions for you."

Seeing that Bryce was yawning and his eyes were drooping, Chuck chose to take pity on him. "You're going to have a lot of visitors in the morning, so you might as well get some real sleep and rest up. Take it easy and let us know if you need anything, we'll be right outside of your door standing guard."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing, choosing to favorite, leaving kudos, and following :D


	41. Interlude

*******

Although several of the team had anticipated a visit the first thing in the morning, none of them were able to achieve their goal.

When Peter arrived to visit Bryce, he was surprised to discover that a medical team from Washington had come up during the night. They had processed the transfer papers through forcing him to be removed before visiting hours had even opened. Knowing the man was an agent seemed to help relieve the surprise, but such a sudden removal was still shocking.

Trying to call Chuck only connected to a voicemail, Elizabeth hadn't heard from Sarah, and no one knew what was going on. With nothing else to do, Peter headed for work early.

*******

Walking into the office, Peter collected the agents who were about the room into a collection. "If any of you were expecting to visit Bryce today, that won't be possible. He was removed by Washington this morning and I haven't heard back from Chuck yet to have any further information."

"Are we going to see him again?" was the general consensus of the team.

"I don't know," Peter was disturbed by the admittance. The man had been his friend, and he hoped to have the chance to rebuild their relationship, but that wasn't going to be possible if the man was going to disappear on them.

Settling in at his desk, Peter went to work on the pile of case files stacked up around him. Since he had been spending so much time at the hospital to be by Bryce's side, he had been neglecting much of his duties beyond solving their current caseload. There was a lot of bureaucratic work and other cases still to be handled. Burying himself into words and numbers, Peter was oblivious to the passing of time and preferred to focus on getting his work done.

*******

Jumping as his phone startled him, Peter was almost surprised to see that Chuck was returning his call.

"Hi, Chuck," he responded to the call, "I was surprised to see that everyone was gone from the hospital this morning."

"I'm sorry about that. The boss wanted to have Bryce closer to make sure there was nothing else to worry about… considering some of the projects he has been involved with in the past. Fortunately, she has arranged for the best experts in the field to give him a checkup. There shouldn't be anything to concern, but it's best to be safe rather than sorry." Chuck tried to inform Peter without giving too much away.

Relieved to know that Bryce was being looked after, Peter voiced the question that worried him the most, "Is going to be coming back?"

"As Neal Caffrey? Probably not, but he will do his best to make a trip through on his own given the chance. When and how will depend on what goes once he is given the all-clear to resume active duty." Chuck continued to explain, "Bryce speaks highly of you, so he will make sure to retain as much of your friendship as he can. I know things have gone badly between you recently, but as he and I were estranged for more than five years, you can repair the damage."

Happy to hear the good news, Peter was hopeful for their friendship. Perhaps they would be able to make repairs yet considering that Chuck and Bryce had managed to work things out, even after so long a disagreement. In comparison, time-wise, his argument seemed to be nothing.

Feeling more at ease, Peter leaned back into his chair and talked a little longer. As the future was unknown, he requested some basic details to confirm that Bryce was doing alright and asked to know what Chuck had in mind. He liked the young agent too, and was wondering if he would be coming back around or keeping in touch through the future.

Interested, Chuck agreed to keep in touch and looked forward to getting to know more about the friends Bryce had made. "I'd like that. Bryce has good taste in friends, and I would enjoy getting to know you as well."

Laughing, Peter took that as a compliment, "Few seem to reach such a high standard, and I'm honored that he seems to include me."

Wrapping up their conversation, Peter was glad to have some closure for what was going on and Chuck's promise to keep in further touch.

*******

Having only the occasional conversation with Chuck to keep him in touch with his friend, Peter focused heavily on his own work. There was so much to do that his attention wasn't easily distracted.

His primary case continued to be the Larkin problem. With the two suspects on the run, he had his work cut out for him in finding them.

Utilizing the typical routines, Peter had placed up wanted posters and the law enforcement world was on the lookout for anyone fitting their description. Considering that they were only amateurs, he assumed catching them would be far easier than chasing Bryce in his Neal persona had been.

What made the difference was that Bryce wasn't entirely hiding because he wished to be followed, and he didn't use his wealth as a means of evading capture. Instead, he had used his wits and speed to keep one step ahead.

Picking up the trail after several weeks of searching him out, Peter was amused to realize that Kendrick actually believed he had waited him out and the man was coming out of hiding with the belief that he was safe. Based on his misconception, it wasn't hard to follow the trail as Kendrick spent the ill-gotten gains on a lavish romance with Kendra Peyton.

Shaking his head, Peter wasn't surprised she had followed the money and was likely the motivation behind them breaking cover. The woman had an expensive taste with a propensity to socialize in situations where she could flaunt her good looks and wealth. Hiding from the law wasn't conducive to such desires, so she was going to ultimately be the reason for their downfall.

When the day came that Kendrick and Peyton were cornered and placed in jail by the local authorities, Peter took the personal trip to help escort them back. As the case lead agent, he was welcomed by the local authorities and found the return trip rather interesting.

Taking his seat for the flight with the Marshalls and the two suspects, Peter enjoyed studying them. When he questioned Kendra, he was particularly curious about what her answer would be. "Why did you run with Kendrick when you all but had the Larkin wealth in your grasp through Wyatt?"

"Because he was siphoning the wealth away which meant he was slowly taking the larger amount and putting Wyatt into debt. He was also offering a more exciting life by working to outsmart the others." She didn't seem so certain or confident in her choices anymore but wasn't repentant either.

"At least marrying him wouldn't have led to a jail sentence," Peter remarked.

Finding their conversation dulling quickly, Peter knew they were smart enough to pull the heist off, but not smart enough to get away with it. That was another reason why he wished Bryce was around. He had the intelligence to do both.

*******

Standing in the Washington base, Bryce was watching the buzzing of the city through the window. He was still being placed in protective custody while the medical staff ran their tests, but there didn't seem to have been any adverse effects from his injuries, so there was hope he would be released soon.

In the meanwhile, Jonathon continued to take care of his personal life, Chuck was keeping him company to assist in whatever he needed, and Peter was completing his family's case. There wasn't much for him to do, but he wasn't one for standing idly by.

"Has Jonathon found a new place of employment for Parker?" He startled Chuck as the man walked up behind him.

Chuck knew Bryce was good, but he had thought he might actually manage to sneak up on him, considering how inattentive Bryce had appeared. "Yes, he did. You will like who he found too."

"I'm sure June will appreciate having him around the house. He is closer to her age which will provide her with a friend, and he will enjoy continuing in servitude to someone who will actually appreciate him despite his age." Neal surmised that his friends would get along well. Plus, having Parker at the mansion would make it easier to visit him at the same time as he did June.

"Did you request him to arrange that, like you did his proxy bid of your favorite painting?" Chuck asked.

"No, but I'm not surprised he would have arranged it. Jonathon knows how much I have always liked Parker, how much I like June, and what they have each dealt with recently. It was a logical arrangement to put together," Bryce had been certain Jonathon would come to that conclusion.

"Should I even bother asking who you have requested as guests for the Larkin party?" Chuck wondered. He hadn't been to a Larkin event in a long time.

Smiling as he turned around, Bryce figured it would be obvious who he would want present. "You and Sarah are invited, of course. Don't be surprised if Peter brings Elizabeth, or if Sara shows up too."

Matching his smile, Chuck was looking forward to the party. "So, that means you have to pass the rest of your tests if you are going to be free from here in time for the weekend."

"That shouldn't be an issue. I just have a residual headache when there is something too loud. Otherwise, everything else has healed fine and my medical records shouldn't keep me here past tomorrow morning," Bryce reassured him. He had been down these roads enough times to know generally what to expect.

"Won't your headache hurt you at the party?" Chuck questioned. He did remember the tendency for loud music and a lot of talking.

"If it gets to be too much, then I can easily take a walk through the gardens, or stand out by the water." Bryce wasn't worried; he had dealt with social events and headaches enough times that he knew when to leave.

Shifting the conversation, Chuck wondered if Bryce knew anything more about what to expect after his medical leave. Considering that he had just publicly come back to life, he was being given additional time off to get his personal life back into a semblance of order. His mission was done and his cover was blown, so there was going to be some work involved before they could make their final decision.

"There aren't any updates for certain, but the bosses are thinking about having me work as your counterpart, perhaps working as a liaison for the FBI, or maybe even some more minor jobs closer to home where my cover doesn't need to be so deep. With a socialite family and my return to life, my deep cover career is over." Bryce wasn't upset by that. He still hoped to retain fieldwork in some way, but which friend he worked with wasn't as much of a concern. They were both going to remain in his life, once he repaired his friendship with Peter anyway.

"Then let's get to work on your case. The bosses still want the last of your reports and we have some time to get them finished." Chuck directed him back to a table where he spread the remaining papers into two piles. Since it was the first time that he could help, he took great pleasure in being able to assist his friend to get his work done while he finished walking through the recovery stages from his injuries.

Taking his seat on the other side of the table, Bryce sighed as he got comfortable. This was what he had hoped would be possible, but had feared would never be. Smiling at Chuck as he looked at him in concern, Bryce shrugged. "Peter knows who I am, Mozzie isn't running away because I'm an agent, you are here, and I have a chance at repairing several of my relationships now that the truth is out. This is worth it all."

Grinning, Chuck was happy to see him so relaxed. "Just don't go putting us through this again, next time we won't be so forgiving," he teased. What he meant was that Bryce shouldn't die on them again, or they would be chaining him somewhere for his safety.

"Without deep cover, it shouldn't be an issue, but I'll hold you to that." As long as they were willing to be there to bring him back or help him recover, he would take any punishment that they felt necessary.

Settling into a comfortable working routine, the two agents landed into the task and made quick headway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, choosing to favorite, commenting/reviewing, and following :D
> 
> Alrighty, everybody, this week is Quinis' birthday, so for a bit, I will be posting two stories. The birthday special will start on the 12th and then continue on the weekends until completion :D
> 
> In addition, Persuassioned is down to three weeks after this. So, if you want to throw your vote at me for what to post next, I won't post it until after the two stories are finished, but it's a good time to begin casting votes ;)


	42. Family Reunion

*******

Gathering together Saturday night, there was a large assembly at the Barnum estate to celebrate some distant cousins visiting from the home country. Relations had been nearly estranged since the death of Richard's cousin, but the American branch of the family was determined to regain good graces with their titled kin.

Ignoring all the pomp and show, Bryce was simply trying to deal with the reception he was presented with from so many businessmen and wealthy bachelorettes. Amongst their numbers, he was courted either for his business connections, or his allure as a young, wealthy, and handsome bachelor.

Managing a getaway, he used Jonathon as a break to escape the clutches of the crowd. "Has everyone made it safely?" He asked after his friends.

Amused by his plight, Jonathon didn't tease for fear of being introduced to the crowd himself. "They have all arrived within the last few hours. As you were busy with preparations and your duties, I saw to it that they were settled into the other rooms next to yours." Jonathon nodded towards where Chuck and Sarah were just entering the ballroom.

Observing them, Bryce noticed that Sarah appeared to be surprised at the lavish environment. As they approached, he could tell they were laughing about something. "What is so funny?"

"We were just talking about how you invited us to a party where we don't know anyone," Chuck said while Sarah added. "I was also noting that this explains why you don't tend to be affected by extravagant parties on assignments."

"Unless he is affected enough to run away," Jonathon laughed. "I don't think I have ever seen him hang around for an entire party."

"And this comes from the guy who was always happy to retreat upstairs with me for some real fun, like playing video games," Bryce returned the jab.

Retaining his smile, Jonathon couldn't help but shrug. "What kid would want to hang around a bunch of adults trying to show off to each other while being stuck in a tux when they could put on pajamas to play video games upstairs?"

Agreeing, Chuck reminisced about his visits to the estate. Digressing off into the tangent of ways they could entertain themselves, the boys conversed until Sarah interrupted with an admonishment for their proposed behavior.

Laughing, Bryce reassured her that they would behave, but were simply theorizing in an effort to entertain themselves. Breaking up the conversation, they provided further reassurance by changing the subject.

"Why don't you take Sarah for a dance? You can show this humdrum bunch how to do a real dance." Bryce turned the focus onto Chuck and gave his acceptance to their relationship publicly as his first real acknowledgment of it to both of them.

Turning his focus onto his date, Chuck was no longer quite so interested in the nerdy talk when he had such a lovely lady in red standing next to him. Moving out onto the floor, they shifted to dance to a slow tune.

"You are completely over her I see. Perhaps that has something to do with another Sara?" Jonathon asked which made Bryce jump.

"Sara broke up with me, so it doesn't matter what my feelings are," Bryce tried to dodge admitting his continued interest in her. Instead, he turned Jonathon's focus back to making arrangements for his business. "Are you going to be back in DC tomorrow?"

"Yes, I have some work to do. Are you going to be in the city?" Jonathon tried to figure out what Bryce had in mind.

Seeing the crowd looking for him again, Bryce tried to take advantage of his last opportunity before they descended on him. "I need to begin the process of taking my life back. Would it work to meet at my apartment after lunch?"

"Don't be late," Jonathon managed before the group pushed in for Bryce's attention and shifted him off to the side.

Meandering around the room, Jonathon really had no one to talk to. Bryce was crowded by his admirers, Chuck was dancing with his girlfriend, and there wasn't anyone else he could easily socialize with beyond the basic chit-chat normal to such events. Then he noticed another awkward couple standing around and admiring the general atmosphere. Smiling as he made his approach, he was glad to see that the Burkes were finding something to keep themselves occupied. "Admiring the general splendor I see."

"Jonathon," Peter greeted him.

"It is beautiful. I can see why Bryce would feel comfortable at parties with his undercover persona," Elizabeth made the misconception.

Smiling at their puzzled faces, Jonathon corrected her. "Bryce can be a good charmer of the party if he wants to be, but he prefers to hang out with real friends in an intimate environment. He may have seemed comfortable when you observed him in New York, but he was either performing undercover or enjoying being with you and Peter."

The three of them turned to watch the man they were discussing. As they did, they noticed that his face glanced towards the doors, started to look away, and then looked back with an intense focus.

Leaning around a decoration to see what had caught his attention, they all smiled to see that Sara had entered in a trailing black dress making her stand out like royalty. She was beautiful with her hair twisted up, simple but glittering jewelry, and the elegance of her gown.

While they continue to watch, they could see that she was looking through the crowd for someone. When her eyes found Bryce encumbered by a crowd, with several lovely young ladies hanging on his arms, she turned her face away slightly downcast. She wasn't happy to see him with the attention of other women and feared she might have lost him.

Before they could move to do anything, the trio watched as a gentleman approached her. Based on his body language, the man complimented her and asked her to dance.

"Ian Macrae," Jonathon told them who the man was. "He is usually compared to being the Mr. Darcy of this social circle. Bryce told me he spent the last event with Sara. It looks like he is hoping to do so again."

When Bryce was drug onto the dance floor by the prettiest female of the crowd around him, Sara agreed to dance with Macrae. Taking his hand as he led her to the dance floor, she took one last glance towards Bryce, but wouldn't have been able to see him through the crowd.

Peter liked what he was reading in her body language. It spoke of her continued feelings for Bryce and the chance their relationship could also be repaired. Looking towards Bryce, he saw his face fall as he reacted to Sara accepting Macrae's hand for the dance. He might have been dancing, but she wasn't his chosen partner. "If they don't find a way to talk, I think we might need to intervene to give them a chance."

"What do you have in mind?" Elizabeth asked.

Smiling, Peter was glad to have an idea strike. "Maybe you could steal Bryce away for a dance while I get Sara, and then we could switch partners?"

"Are you admitting a willingness to dance?" Elizabeth teased.

Kissing her, Peter knew she appreciated his efforts. "Bryce is my friend, and after everything, I just want him to have a chance to experience the happiness we have."

Returning the kiss, Elizabeth agreed, "Good answer."

After a few dances had past and the two were still being onset by various members of the crowd, the Burkes decided to put their plan into action. Jonathon provided the ladies with another single man to pay attention to, which was a personal sacrifice. Peter managed to get through to Sara, while Elizabeth asked Bryce if he had time to give a friend a dance.

Relieved, Sara and Bryce were both willing to accept the offer. It was a safe dance with friends and comfort only a few could provide. When the dance finished, they both smiled shyly as they realized what the Burkes were up too.

"Thanks," Bryce said as he passed Peter Elizabeth's hand and accepted Sara's from Peter.

Moving into the ready position for a dance to match the music, Bryce whirled Sara off into a romantic waltz while Peter wrapped his arms around his wife and lost himself in his own prize.

As they slowly spun around the room, Sara tried to find a way to open the conversation and broach the topic that she wanted to discuss. Floundering, she decided to start talking and see where she could take it from there. "I'm so glad you are okay. The last time I saw you, you were still unconscious in the coma."

Seeing the concern in her expression and hearing the sorrow in her voice, Bryce knew she was worried about him. Feeling hopeful, he tried to cautiously keep the conversation going. He was curious to see where it went. "We took precautions knowing an attack was inevitable, but it doesn't appear to have been enough. I'm sorry to put you through that."

"You don't owe me an apology. I'm the one who behaved poorly… what I said should be unforgivable." Then she shushed him when he tried to defend her. "Don't defend what I did Bryce. When I said you could only feel greed for the next treasure, and didn't know anything about what it meant to love or care, I degraded you to a person even lower than the character you were playing. There wasn't anything right, or accurate, to what I said about you, even looking at you through Caffrey lenses."

Relieved to hear she wasn't angry with him, Bryce was glad for what she was saying. "You were angry I might have valued blood money more highly than my relationship with you. Sure, some of what you said was an overreaction, but that is normal when someone else hurts you. I wish I could have told you, and I'm sorry I hurt you so badly." He lifted her face so he could see her better. Wiping the tears from her eyes, he shifted her into his shoulder with a new song so that he was holding her close.

Burying her face into his shoulder, Sara was glad to have Bryce's arms wrapped around her and his comforting voice rumbling in her ears. He hadn't specifically said it, neither had she, but their apologies showed they still cared for each other. Turning her face for him to hear her, but so that she couldn't see if he wanted to reject her offer, she asked. "Can I take my words back?"

"I can't say I didn't hear them, but you are forgiven. You were as soon as they were said," he extended his forgiveness.

Trying really hard not to cry, she continued. "Why was ever so foolish as to let you go?"

Kissing her hair, he held her closer. "I never really left." Then he cautiously offered what she had been hoping for. "What would you think, if I were to call and pick you up for dinner on Monday?"

Stepping back slightly, she moved to see his face. "I don't think you should stand me up."

Pleased, he smiled at her, "I wouldn't dream of it." Then they spiraled through to the end of the dance before she left to freshen up. Her tears had smeared her makeup a little bit.

While she was otherwise occupied, Bryce retreated to the waterfront outside. He wanted to avoid the crowd reclaiming him, but also to relieve the ache beating through his head. It had made its presence known without her to distract him.

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Bryce was glad Peter had found him. He was another person he needed to apologize to. "I'm glad Chuck was able to answer your questions for why I was gone so suddenly. It was expected enough that I should have warned you when you were there the night before."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you are alright." Then Peter shuffled his feet awkwardly. "I'm sorry, Bryce. Although I thought I was doing the right thing by choosing to error on the side of caution, I shouldn't have treated you the way I did. Partners are supposed to trust each other and be careful with any questionable evidence until they can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt the guilt of the other. You reminded me of this, and I listened enough to cool down, but I never held to it when I was angrily certain of the evidence over trusting you. If you chose not to work with us, I wouldn't blame you, but I'm hoping you will forgive me enough to keep in touch." He was hurt at the idea of losing his friend and favorite working partner.

Turning to hug Peter, Bryce surprised him as Peter was usually the hugger of the two. "I never held it against you, Peter. My character was supposed to be an untrustworthy criminal, so you reacted the way I wanted you to. It was safer for you to push me away, and I'm glad you weren't hurt through the attack. That scared me to see you facing the guns unarmed."

Wrapping his arms back around Bryce, Peter held him close, relieved to know his friend was alright. "Not as much as it scared me to watch you die, or in learning that you were in a coma with a chance you wouldn't wake up. Don't you ever do that again!" He shuddered at the memory.

"That is my intention. Dying is so overrated," Bryce quipped.

Laughing as he stepped back, Peter was glad Bryce could help him deal with it. "Good, bedside vigils are too."

"There you two are," Elizabeth approached. "Are you ready to call it a night Peter?" She yawned showing her fatigue.

"Yeah, it's been a long day." Finishing his conversation with Bryce, Peter gently threatened, "Don't forget to keep in touch whatever your decision is, Bryce. I now know who you are, and some of the agents from your field, which would make it easier to find you if you don't." He patted Bryce on the shoulder as he laughed softly.

"I don't doubt it, but now I'm tempted to test your skills for the fun of it," Bryce teased back.

Hugging Bryce and kissing his cheek, Elizabeth gave him a disapproving look. "I like to have my husband's attention, so please don't take him on another wild goose chase." Then she bid him goodnight as she took her husband off to bed.

Amused as he turned to reflect on the water, Bryce was glad the team seemed to be receptive to his return. Although he hadn't seen the rest of them, Peter's lead would mean an ultimate acceptance.

Hearing a sound behind him, he turned to see Sara standing in the glow of the lights from the mansion. Preferring to keep her to himself, Bryce invited her for a stroll through the moonlit gardens to the sound of the gentle waves lapping on the shore.

It was the perfect ending to his evening. Peter and Elizabeth were heading to bed where they would sleep peacefully down the hall, Chuck was still spinning Sarah elegantly around the dance floor, Jonathon was entertaining a couple of guests, and he had Sara to himself for a romantic dance under the moonlight by the reflective pool. What could possibly be better?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing, voting, choosing to favorite, following, leaving and kudos :D
> 
> Thus far, we have the votes rolling in :D  
> Separation Anxiety: II  
> Miniature: II


	43. Conclusions

*******

When Monday rolled around, Peter and the team were happy to be learning a new normal around the office, but they were also interested to know how things were going to go with Bryce. The young agent was generally well-liked, when he wasn't being accused of committing crimes right under their noses, so there was a great deal of curiosity as to what his future would be.

Talking to the main agents of his team, Peter was lamenting the unknown future, "I know it's up to what he wants and what the bosses allow, but I can't help but hope he finds a way to at least consult with us. Then we could still work with him from time to time."

"You don't want to train a new partner, do you?" Diana teased. "Bryce has the wits to cross swords with you in a debate and you like to challenge him." Then she chose to add with a twinkle of amusement to her eyes, "Would you consider leaving the deviled ham at home, if he would come back to work with us?"

Amused, Peter played along. "Possibly, but it would be a hard choice. They are my favorite sandwich after all."

"Huh, and here I don't rate above a sandwich," Bryce said from right behind Peter causing him to jump and slurp his coffee.

"You're lucky I didn't just spill that on my suit." Peter paused to verify that his drink had remained in the cup before turning to greet his friend.

"I think the suit could use a little extra color. It seems to be a bit drab," Bryce played off of their familiar relationship.

"Very funny, Bryce. Are we going to be treated to this spy stealth often? If so, I think I will need to fill my cup a little less full to be prepared," Peter pretended to be stern.

Shrugging playfully, Bryce wasn't bothered by the expression. "Maybe I will. Someone has to keep you all on your toes. And as I won't be around all of the time, I might as well make the best of it when I am," he grinned mischievously.

Too happy to hear that Bryce was going to be coming around, Peter realized he was thrilled at the prospect of being snuck up on. "Then you'll just have to come around as much as possible so we'll get practiced at hearing your approach."

"Maybe I just will. After all, the agency has allowed me to consult whenever I am not otherwise needed in my field, and the FBI was almost too willing to agree to an arrangement," Bryce answered one of Peter's biggest worries.

"Are you here to make arrangements, or are you going to be around for a while?" Peter wondered with a big smile. He was thrilled to know Bryce was going to be working with them, even if it wasn't on a steady basis.

"I'm on leave for a month, but I do have to visit Washington from time to time for my business." Bryce shrugged, "In general, I'm here to help with whatever cases you are working on, partner."

"Well, I hate to disappoint you, but we are working on cold cases and mortgage fraud," Peter laughed.

Shrugging, Bryce wasn't concerned, "I'm well practiced with those of late, and they are easier than impersonating a murder victim to catch the killers."

Feeling a little downcast, Peter didn't like to be reminded of his treatment in how he handled Bryce's undercover role, "Yeah, I guess so."

Sighing, Bryce could see it was going to be a sensitive subject until time had healed the wounds. "Remember, I was undercover and needed you to react the way that you did. My entire operation depended on it." He tried to comfort Peter, but also the entire listening team.

"I know, but it doesn't mean I'm proud of how I acted." Peter tried to pull himself together; dwelling on it wasn't going to help anything.

Directing the conversation onto different lines, Bryce moved towards the arrangements of how things would be when he was around. "Do I get to have my old desk back?" He asked.

Peter shared a glance with Hughes before he answered. "If you want to have it, then we would be glad to have you in it."

"Then the next question is where my stuff got off too?" Bryce smirked.

Looking awkward, Peter had to admit it was put away with the feeling he probably wasn't going to be reclaiming it. "I'll get it for you as soon as I can. If you need anything in the meanwhile, you know how supply works, or where my desk is."

Not worried, Bryce wasn't in any rush. "No hurry. Remember, I'm part field agent, and part charming con man, so I can find ways to make do easily enough," he winked.

"Be careful how far down that path you tread. If we catch you pulling cons, we just might have to report you to your boss." Diana threatened with a serious expression, despite the teasing to her tone.

"Bring it on Berrigan. You don't scare me." Bryce stood up to her and dared her to try and subdue him.

Enjoying the competitive game even more with them on even ground as agents, Diana looked forward to her own verbal sparring with him. "Black ops agent Larkin doesn't scare me either," she held her ground in return.

Clearing his throat, Hughes made his opinion of interagency competition clear, he didn't approve!

"We aren't doing anything more than we did before, only now we can be closer friends without the lies," Bryce promised.

"Uh-uh," Hughes knew they might not be intending to compete as agencies, but he knew it could be a side result of their competitiveness.

Choosing to keep the peace, Peter directed for Bryce to get started on the forms for working with the team. Sending Jones to help, he figured it would be the best way to get the work done.

Heading back down to the desk, Jones worked with Bryce to get his information set up on the computer again. Surprised, he hadn't expected Bryce to be able to do so much of it on his own.

"I'm a computer engineer, Jones. Besides, I went through this with you once before. Then I just played dumb to keep my cover." Bryce explained as he whipped through the programs with key short cuts and a good memory for processes.

"That was in your files, but I hadn't paid too much attention to it as we figured you were dead. Then after we knew the truth, there were the cases to be completed and you were in a coma, so we couldn't talk to you." Jones pointed out how things hadn't been conducive to getting to know him yet.

While Bryce worked through the digital process, Jones chose to ask some of the questions that had been floating around. "Are you going to keep running your business in Washington?"

"Of course, the programs are needed and I don't want them being provided by someone who doesn't understand what people go through in the field. The income goes towards personal projects because I don't need it to live on. My housing and general needs are either provided in my role or paid for by my government work," Bryce explained.

"Do you think you'll be working with Chuck and his team when you go back into the field?" Jones continued.

"That is still to be decided. If I'm going to be working with a team, I prefer it to be his or yours, because I know I can trust you, but sometimes a mission doesn't allow for such comforts. It has been settled that I won't be doing long term deep covers anymore. All of my aliases have been burned, and all of this publicity isn't good for a safe operation. Most likely, I'll be doing recon work from a distance, consulting, or things from behind a computer screen. As long as I still get field time, then I can work with it." He couldn't answer too definitively, but it gave his friends an idea of what to expect.

Curious, Blake asked a question. "How has your family handled your reappearance and status as an agent?"

Listening intently, the entire office had been keeping their ears toward the conversation.

"Most of them only talk about me when the public conversation requires them to. Then they acknowledge my college history, focus on my business, and might mention a skill for art when that is advantageous. In private, the general consensus is that I'm a fool for being an agent, but respect for my rank and position in government. There are a few exceptions to that though. Clara and Eleanor, my God-mother, seem to be proud of me and generally accept my choices in life. Felix is proud of my standing in government, but it's melded with an annoyance that my position could take attention from him. I don't know why he would worry though, it's not like I'm suddenly accepted by Richard and Wyatt."

Learning that he still didn't have a comfortable relationship with his family, the team hoped he would find a more stable environment with the changes in his professional life.

Having completed the process of getting him set up on the computer, Jones moved to the physical forms. "Since you know so much about the process, you can fill out more of your own forms this time." He said as he passed a pile of papers over for Bryce to begin working on.

"You do know that some forms are different from the FBI to my agency? I may know how to fill out more paperwork than I pretended to recognize, but I'm still not familiar with all of it. Take this one, for instance, we have a completely different name for it as well as a different arrangement of questions and format," he said as he held up one in particular.

"Perhaps, but you still have the knowledge of how to fill them out," Jones refused to help him.

Conceding, Bryce went to work on the forms and quickly moved through them while the team continued to either question or observe him.

After a while, he pulled one and handed it over to Jones. "This one is completely different from anything I have ever filled out. What is it talking about here?" Bryce questioned him.

"Don't pull my leg Bryce, I'm not going to be conned into helping you with the paperwork. Remember, I filled most of them out the first time around." He continued to refuse his assistance. Since Bryce was an agent, then he could shovel his own government paperwork.

Rolling his eyes, Bryce knew he would have to take some teasing and deal with the other's adjustments to who he really was. "I'm not trying to pull anything over on you, Jones. The CIA just has a very different approach to paperwork and what is required in the forms."

Relenting, Jones decided he could give some assistance when he put it that way. "Fine, but don't get into the habit of me doing your paperwork." He grumbled as he took it and began to show Bryce what was being requested.

Snorting, Bryce responded. "Since when did you ever allow me to get away with shoving my paperwork off on you?"

Jones acknowledged the truth of his question but focused on collecting the required details.

Eventually, they got everything arranged and Peter stopped by to drop the collection of Bryce's things on his desk. "Here is your stuff if you want to get it settled back in."

"Thanks, Peter. I've been using Jones's supplies all afternoon, so it will be nice to have my own things back." Bryce winked at Peter while Jones almost seemed to check if Bryce was holding his pen before he realized it was a standard-issue FBI one.

"Very funny. You aren't going to let that go are you?" He referred to an old tease. "That was my grandfather's pen you borrowed that time, so of course I was particular and wanted it back on my desk," Jones once again defended himself.

Laughing, Peter was glad to see Bryce making himself right at home amongst the team and trying to renew old bonds. Hoping to work on his own friendship, he chose to make the offer he and Elizabeth had mentioned previously, "Do you have any plans for dinner?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. And I have been charged not to stand her up, or else," Bryce hinted. He knew his words could mean a promise to show at Elizabeth's dinner, but he wondered if Peter would figure out that he actually had a date with Sara.

Catching the terminology, Peter understood that a date was implied rather than a friendly dinner. "Well, then you had better not keep Sara waiting," he smiled. They were working on their relationship, so there was hope for a happy future yet.

Running his finger along his nose, Bryce signaled that Peter had caught what he had meant and was correct in his understanding. "We talked at the ball and we are giving it another try without the deceit of me being undercover."

"Does June also know you are in town?" Peter wondered if he would be staying at the loft apartment.

"Yes, and I am informed that the suits are pressed and hung in the closet, while Parker has worked with June to arrange the loft with my comfort in mind. We have a new contract drawn up for me to rent the loft whenever I am in the city, so there is no need to worry about accommodations if I'm visiting briefly, or staying around long term for time off and consulting." Bryce said as he worked on signing the last of the forms. He had the task of arranging his possessions still to do, but he figured it would wait until the morning. There wasn't anything important going on where the cases were concerned, so there would be time to spare.

As he handed the last form over to Jones, he clapped him on the shoulder and announced that he was done for the day. "I have a lovely lady waiting by the phone, so I had better giver a call and head out for my date."

Wishing him well, the team shooed him away for the evening. They were all happy to see him well supplied with friends, his career generally intact, and with a romantic relationship that had the chance of settling him down towards a family life. After everything they had seen him go through, they felt it was the best place to consider the previous stage of his life as being wrapped up. Now everything was on to the new, and there were many more adventures to look forward to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, voting, following, leaving kudos, and choosing to favorite :D
> 
> Next week will be the excerpts from this story so this is the last week I'll be taking votes for this round, and I'll take them right up until I post sometime next Saturday. Either the votes will tell, or I'll flip a coin as a tie-breaker, and next week I'll announce what the next story will be after Quinis' birthday story, "Training Games," finishes posting. Meanwhile, here is an update on the votes :D  
> Separation Anxiety: III  
> Miniature: II  
> Rejections Rift: I


	44. Excerpts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters covering Bryce's hospital stay drew out in original form, so per a prereader's suggestion, they were chopped, merged, and these excerpts were kept since I couldn't delete them, they answer questions or were cute scenes. They are mostly set in the hospital waiting room while Bryce was being seen or while they were waiting for him through the coma, and the exception is at the Bureau. I hope you enjoy them :D

*******

**Felix's hypochondriac behavior.**

Choosing the moment to inquire about the Larkin family, Elizabeth wanted to know more about their personal interactions with each other. "Why does Felix look for attention so much? He seems to calculate his actions according to what will most get people to notice him."

This time Jonathon sighed. "He isn't the oldest son and primary heir. Therefore he, like Bryce, was generally ignored growing up while Richard doted on Wyatt. Although the brothers had similar treatment at home, Bryce had the benefit of learning from his mother, Catherine, before her death, in addition to a better support group at school. Felix didn't benefit from Catherine, so he looked up to the only parent he has ever really known. Then the Larkin pride doesn't make real friends, so he didn't have the support in school. Combined, everything somehow led him to become a hypochondriac."

*******

**Bryce's deaths and why they weren't noticed.**

Although the answers often bothered her, Elizabeth continued to try and understand Bryce's past. She had so many questions that they wouldn't all be answered, but there was one more she desperately needed to know the answer to. Taking the courage to ask, it seemed like as good a time as any. "Is that why his previous deaths weren't noticed… because he was generally ignored at home?" Having gotten the basic element of it out, she elaborated a little bit. "I mean, it seemed rather easy for the Larkins to believe Neal could be Bryce playing a joke on them, even with the death certificate, obituary, and funeral."

Jonathon explained what he could, "I don't know about the official side, Chuck will have to cover that, but I do know some of the family's side of the story." He exchanged a glance with Chuck saying they would share telling the story. Keeping to the basics, Jonathon answered his part of the question. "After Bryce went to college, he stopped adhering to many of the Larkin expectations. His wardrobe got more casual, he proudly showed off his nerdy skills, and generally broke loose of the restraints he had been forced to keep in mind before. As his communication showed more of his interests, his family found less in common with him and they slowly lost touch. By the time he was in his senior year, he hardly contacted them anymore and they didn't try to keep in touch at all. Eventually, communication was all but lost, and he only attended required family events, so when it stopped altogether, the family hardly noticed. As for when his obituary was published, I understand they thought it to be something of a sorority prank. They didn't believe he would lower himself to being an accountant or dying in such a 'common' situation as a robbery."

Taking the other angle of the situation, Chuck led the conversation for a short time. "From the official angle, Bryce was keeping himself busy. After being killed for his supposed betrayal, that was really an undercover role, he was sent off to the morgue, but he didn't make it. The bus was manned by the people who were controlling his alleged betrayal, so they revived him to see how his mission had gone. With the few words he managed to utter, Bryce gave them a reason to keep him alive. All we know about the following year he was captive, is that he kept his cover and performed as a decoy for me. When we had rescued him and cleared his name, he was sent off on classified missions for two years. However, I do know the government chose to keep him on the books as dead, so no one beyond a few knew he was alive."

*******

**Getting the evidence and Peter leaving with Jones and Diana heading to the hospital.**

When the evidence finally came in, Peter was relieved for the distraction. He had just finished his report on the awful event and he wanted to get the images out of his head again. Although they wouldn't go far, focusing on solving the cases would be a good way to feel like he was doing something about them.

Helping to arrange them, Peter worked to sort the evidence across the conference room table by case. Then he assigned them out to agents for further investigation. Once the task was done, it was getting rather late, so he was ordered to head home and rest. Everyone knew he wouldn't likely get much sleep, but anything would be better than sitting in the office all night.

"We'll go to the hospital with you," Diana volunteered as she and Jones approached Peter.

Jones explained why "We would like to see him too. Although we haven't shown it recently, he is still our friend."

Waving them to come along, Peter understood their sentiments. "There isn't any change in his condition. You won't get long because it's after visiting hours, but Chuck said he got permission for a short visit."

Once the elevator doors closed, Diana put her hand on Peter's shoulder. "I'm not angry you didn't call me earlier, a lot happened quickly. If you need to talk though, I'd be happy to help."

Sighing, Peter was at least somewhat relieved that neither agent was angry with him, "Thanks, I appreciate it, from both of you."

"You're welcome," Jones answered. Although he hadn't said it, his presence in the elevator spoke volumes. "It's been a wild ride ever since the treasure was stolen and these other cases got started. Now, I'm looking forward to seeing what 'Neal' was actually up to the whole time and who actually committed the crime we suspected him of." He held up his briefcase of files. There were more on his desk, but it contained more than he could go through in a single night.

Noticing that Diana also had a case full of files, Peter simply shifted his own in acknowledgment that he was also taking work home. "That is one thing I'm happy about with all of this. I finally know his life story, have met his family and closest friends, and now I get to see what he was actually doing while he was sneaking around."

"He is going to have a lot of questions to answer when he wakes up. You might have gotten to know several of them, but the office is buzzing about the reveals," Diana smirked. She was trying to lighten the mood and alleviate the depressed air Peter seemed to be carrying.

"That's not surprising. His own team didn't even know he was alive until Chuck was called in. Everyone seems to have a lot of gaps in their knowledge of his life," Peter acknowledged.

Reaching the main floor, the three agents went to their separate cars intent on meeting each other at the hospital.

Driving through the city wasn't quite as bad late at night, and the times when their paths crossed with heavier traffic, they each spent the time with their thoughts as there wasn't anything else to do. Eventually, they traversed the city and reached the hospital.

Meeting at the front door, Peter led the way up to the ICU and to Bryce's room. Greeting Chuck and Sarah at the door, he paused to introduce the two teams to each other. While they talked for a few moments, he went in to see Bryce alone.

*******

**Peter and Elizabeth discuss Bryce investigating them for the treasure.**

Having only a short bit of time, Peter didn't spend long in with Bryce. Mostly he shared random thoughts and basic things from the office before heading back to the waiting room. While Jones and Diana took their turn, Peter talked to Elizabeth and shared Bryce's theory about them.

"Did you know that Bryce actually investigated us for the theft of the treasure?" Peter asked Elizabeth as he settled into the waiting chair next to her.

"Really? How did we rank?" Elizabeth was surprised and then curious. It was interesting to learn that the young agent had been researching them right back, and although it hurt, there was still the intrigue of what he had found.

Finding some humor, Peter tried to make it funny. "Oh, we are generally perceived as being capable of pulling off the heist, but apparently, we don't have enough motives to actually go through with it. He is as confident in our skills as he is in our characters."

Curling into Peter's side, Elizabeth liked the picture that created. "Can you imagine us as thieves stealing what we wished and then retreating to some hideout to avoid the law?"

Laughing at the startling image, Peter added a twist to their little story. "Maybe we could hideout on a pirate's ship and sail the seven seas," he had always loved Vikings.

Kissing him, Elizabeth knew where his mind had gone, "and perhaps we could wear hats with horns?"

Peter imagined her wearing a Viking's outfit and smiled teasingly. "You would have to wear the whole costume," then he kissed her in return.

Embarrassed, Elizabeth lightly smacked his shoulder and ordered him to stop.

Amused off to the side, June didn't mind the banter. She chose to pretend that she was too engrossed in her book to hear them.

As Jones and Diana rejoined the group, the banter changed to a general conversation on schedules before the agents returned to their work.

*******

**Sarah shares a little of her past.**

"Sarah isn't my real name, so the name thing isn't an issue either," Sarah smiled at their expressions. "I was raised by a con artist, the agency changed my name when I was recruited."

Intrigued, Elizabeth wanted to talk more about that, "You were raised by a con artist?"

Beside her, Peter looked shocked. Since when did the government hire cons as agents?

June was amused. She knew the value of a good con artist, and the better the con meant the better the agent.

"My father is Jack Burton, and he was arrested when I was seventeen. The director was along personally, as he had been following my dad's career, and he put me on the track for recruitment. It gave me a direction to take my life and allowed me to see the world. After growing up seeking adventure with my dad, working for the government has just been another variation of that," Sarah explained a little bit.

"Have you ever been ordered to arrest your father?" Peter asked. Having been ordered to arrest his best friend, he wondered how it was for other people.

"Yes…" Sarah hedged. She didn't want to admit to letting him off the hook, but Peter was a really good agent so he understood.

Nodding, he mentally pictured some methods she could use to let her father get away without incriminating herself. "I'm sure he was a tricky one to chase, he probably evaded you a lot. After all, he taught you," he winked at her in understanding.

Amused, Sarah understood what Bryce saw in Peter. "I see why he likes you so much. Bryce has a soft spot for the smart ones."

Laughing, Elizabeth was amused by the similarity. "So does Peter. That is part of why he agreed to work with Bryce. He's the smartest man he knows."

"Great minds think alike," Peter shrugged with a smile.

"They do," Elizabeth agreed as she kissed him.

Putting his arm around her, Peter was feeling very relaxed. Leaning back and sipping his coffee, he enjoyed the general conversation with the three lovely ladies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, following, reviewing :D
> 
> Alrighty, everyone, this is the end of Persuassioned. I hope you all enjoyed it :D Per the votes below, we'll start Separation Anxiety the week after next, once Training Games is completed :D
> 
> Separation Anxiety: III  
> Miniature: II  
> Rejections Rift: I  
> The Yearbook Incident: I

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, commenting/reviewing, choosing to favorite, and following me :D
> 
> Back when I was first trying to figure out how to tackle this plot concept, I asked advice from three authors for how to go about that since it was to be one of my most complicated endeavors to date. Fortunately, Quinis, Penna.nomen, and Silbrith were all kind enough to give me advice through what works best for them. Based on some of that, this story has a Pinterest board called "My Story - Persuassioned" for any who may wish to check it out, but I will warn you though, everything is posted there with some major spoilers... I did just go remove the pin with the biggest spoiler though :P Anyway, I want to publicly thank all three for their assistance and their patience as they've waited more than three years to see the results! :D


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